Cupiditatem
by TheFinalOrder
Summary: Forgo the cold of snow, ignore your desire of the tropic wasteland, and shed your love for the place that feels like home. There you will search through Silver Eyes for what you most desire. That's what the Gospel read, but could this small child really grant a wish he never desired?
1. Prologue

**Well, Hm. How should I say this. This was the eventuality that was going to get to in One Bizarre Adventure, but to be honest, I wrote most of that in a spout of hype generated by a much MUCH better fic called Remnants Bizarre Adventure. Please check it out.**

 **Decided to scrap most of my ideas, create something original, and see the reception. Meh, honestly I'm making this fic to also see if I suck at writing. I would like some ideas and advice if it wouldn't hurt. Sorry if I sound meh, I'm beat!**

 **Edit: Well, I screwed up a lot this chapter. Thinking of getting a Beta Tester, but unsure if they're reliable.**

 **Edit 2: Forgot to mention. I generally respond to all reviews, even negative ones, at the bottom of the chapter. I do this because for me, a review, even negative, is something people took time out if their day to write. I should appreciate that.**

 **EDIT 3: Extremely Important. There are no definitive Pairings for this yet. Ignore the guy down in the AN going on about pairings. This story focuses mainly on... story.**

 **EDIT 4- good god so many edits. I have to do this one though. I thank my Beta from over on Reddit Mayazra! This has been a great help! Can't thank you enough man!**

* * *

The light of the moon tickled her face, softly brushing her soft skin a illuminating glow. Her pale complexion reflected the light, casting the area around her in a transcendent luminescence. Slowly, almost like she was being called, her eyes fluttered open.

With glazed eyes, her vision slowly came to her. Rubbing away the drowsiness, she gazed around the room, taking in her surroundings. The light from the window making the otherwise dark room seeable. Across the room, a mop of Blonde hair laid sprawled across the bed, and as if reflecting her hair, her body was twisted in a awkward position. Drool pooled heavily as great gasps of air escaped her mouth. Directly under her, laid a more casual girl. With raven black hair, a bowtie clung to her head, in an almost secure way. Her back faced her, so she wasn't able to see her face.

Her sister, Yang Xiao Long and her friend, Blake Belledonna.

Sitting up, watched as the bed swung from side to side at the crude motion. The rope tightening, and groaning with each movement. Unmoving, she watched as the world danced in her eyes, the grogginess slowly leaving her body in dazed state. Like rusted gears, her mind slowly processed the state of her body, before kicking her into gear.

Dropping down from her bed, she wobbled her way to the door. Silently, or as quietly as she could, she opened the door. Slowly, she walked backwards closing it. With that minor difficulty out of the way, she felt around the wall for while, feeling the cold wall, looking for something. With a small groan, she flipped her finger, the bulb above her turning on in a illuminating bright light. Slightly blinded by the light, she couldn't help but hiss, covering her eyes.

As her eyes adjusted, she opened her eyes to a pristine white room. The white bulb outlining the already pale coating. The tiles sparkled with a shine akin to glitter, establishing the fresh cleanliness of the room.

Like a robot, her body moved on it's own, doing what it needed too. Moving to the sink, she turned the faucet on to a mixture of hot and cold, diligently washing the germs off her fingers and palms. Rinse, cycle, repeat. Turning the water off, she caught a glimpse of her disheveled state reflecting in the mirror.

Her hair, as black as night with crimson tips, gravitated upwards, almost as if a puppeteer had connected strings above her head, conducting a play with her hair. Her pale skin resembled that of a sickly child, a obvious sign that she was unaccustomed to outdoor festivities. Dark bags hung under her eyes, displaying the lack of sleep she must have had lately. A deep sneer marred her face, causing her to look more and more like a addict.

This was Ruby Rose, leader of team RWBY and younger sister of Yang Xiao Long. Usually, you wouldn't see this sort of expression on the young Rose, having been the most upbeat and innocent of the group, but having been woken up in the middle of the night, even the most cheerful of people would feel somewhat irritated.

This wasn't the only time she had been woken up in the middle of the night either. Just the night before, her sister thought it would be funny to wake everyone up with a blow horn. While Ruby could appreciate that if she were in on it, it would have made her laugh too. The problem was however, she wasn't, so she awoke very irritated. Even the night prior to that Weiss had stayed up all night doing her homework… again. The night before that, Blake had stayed up late into the night giggling at her smut. And a few days before that? Team RWBY along with Team JNPR had been forced on Guard Duty because they had a good fight in the cafeteria.

Ruby's eyes squinted and her sneer widened at the thought of that. It had been a horrible night for an otherwise fun day. In fact, that night would have been a ton more fun if everybody hadn't been split up into different districts of the Academy. The worst part about that was that Ruby had been placed in a field, all alone, with nobody to talk to. Yang had been lucky being placed near the CCT Tower, having guards to talk to whenever she pleased. It brought out a form of envy that only a sibling could bring out.

Ruby couldn't bring herself to be mad at anyone though. The food fight had been a blast, easily the most fun activity she ever had a hand in, and it wasn't anyone else's fault for where she was placed. Getting mad at her friends would have been dumb.

Goodwitch on the other hand…

A sudden noise brought her out of her train of thought. A low grumble, built up slowly into a silent rumble. Patting her stomach, she silently stared at her gut. Her sneer disappeared as a blank expression took over.

"I'm hungry." Ruby whispered to herself. Turning to the door, she turned off the lights with haste. Quite the opposite of her quick retreat, Ruby opened the door with a snails pace. Making her way to the door leading out of her room, she stopped herself. Checking her pockets, she felt her scroll in her pocket. That would have been the only way for her to get back into the room without waking anybody up.

Leaving the room was a simple task. Open the door, go through the door, close the door. A simple process. Well, if the dang door didn't creak all the dang time. With a grimace, she slowly opened the door, annoyed by how the creaking seemed to only increase in noise as it opened. As soon as it was wide enough for her to squeeze herself through, she did so with ease. While she did have issues with her small stature, it did come in handy at times. Most of those times being when she needed to fit in small places.

Ruby made a mental note to talk to Jaune about fixing the hinge of the doors. He always seemed to know what to do about home appliances.

Walking through the corridor, Ruby couldn't help but feel a little put off. While the halls were usually this empty during the day, it was never this dark. While Ruby wouldn't admit it, she was still deathly afraid of the dark. She even thought of skipping her midnight snack in favor of avoiding the dark, but thought against it as she was almost to the Kitchen anyways.

Beacon Academy, by all modern standards, was a high class college. As with any high class college, it came with its own dorms and facilities that students and staff alike can use in whatever manner they wished. Within each dorm level, there was a Recreational area that contained couches, a TV and, of course, a kitchen. While some dorm rooms held a personal fridge, that was usually funded by those who resided within those rooms.

As the light from the entryway to the 'Living Room' came into view, Ruby couldn't help but walk a little faster. Moon light filtered through the opening, almost as if it was calling to her. A comfort that couldn't be described by mere words.

Swinging herself into the living room, Ruby did a quick look around the room. In the middle of room laid a brown sofa, allowing for at least four to sit with having enough room to move around. A one seat chair that could fit at least two if they tried. Both comfort appliances faced a table with a hologram TV on it. A wide array of cases of different Movies and Shows for everyone to enjoy if they pleased.

Ignoring those, she made her way into the Kitchen, the cold tiles sending a chill through her body. Making her way to the fridge, she spotted… nothing satisfying. Closing the fridge, she looked through the cupboards. The only thing that was of any interest was the box of cereal that Pyrrha was sponsoring, and if she remembered correctly Pyrrha had said it wasn't that healthy to eat. That made her hesitate a little… well, mostly because it was Jaune's. With another rumble from her stomach, she forgone her care about Jaune's property. If he found out, she would pay him back.

Grabbing the box, she closed the cupboard. Opening another, Ruby stood on her tiptoes to grab a bowl. With a grunt, she was able to get a medium sized bowl, enough to temporarily fill her stomach. Opening the fridge, she grabbed the milk and poured the beverage in the bowl. Grabbing the cereal, she poured the breakfast onto the milk.

Ruby froze.

"Why did I do that backwards?" Ruby asked herself out loud. Shaking her head, she put away the milk and Cereal. Opening a drawer, she grabbed a thin spoon, as the big ones felt uncomfortable in her grip. Placing it in the food, she grabbed the bowl and turned to the table in the middle of the kitchen.

Ruby almost dropped the food in fright.

Sitting at the table, her hands supporting her head, was Pyrrha Nikos. A small smile graced her lips as she watched Ruby fumble with her food, doing her best not to drop the snack she had made. Within thirty seconds, Ruby had gotten herself under control. Letting out a deep sigh of relief, the dark haired girl placed the food on the table and took a seat.

"Good Morning Pyrrha." Ruby greeted, taking a bite out of her breakfast. Pyrrha watched Ruby, not responding to her. Straightening her back, she continued to smile at Ruby.

"Hello Ruby, how are you doing?" Pyrrha asked, acting like the whole situation was the most normal thing in the world. Ruby took another bite before swallowing.

"I'm not sure how I'm doing, honestly." Ruby ruffled her hair in irritation. "I haven't had a good night's sleep ever since Goodwitch made us do Guard Duty! I'm scared that it's going to mess with my sleeping schedule soon."

Pyrrha chuckled at Ruby's response, remembering the night out on Guard Duty. Luckily, she got the Park area, so a lot of the night crowd came by. While it was still cold in her outfit, it was a little bit bearable because she didn't stop moving.

"What about you? Are you having trouble sleeping?" Ruby asked, wolfing down her food. Pyrrha flinch a little at the question. Pyrrha looked away from the young Rose, looking almost as if she was in deep thought. Suddenly Pyrrha nodded, looking at Ruby with a unsure expression.

"Well, yes, but not for the same reason you are." Pyrrha admitted, looking side to side, a small blush on her face. Due to the poor lighting, Ruby couldn't see this. Pyrrha was thankful for this small fact.

"Is it the boys snoring? Cause Yang snores a lot!" Ruby joked, getting a smile from Pyrrha. It was obvious that the two sisters got along well, better than most sibling even. So with that knowledge in hand, Pyrrha deduced that it was a joke, with no deeper meaning.

"No, it isn't like that." Pyrrha said, rubbing her chin in thought. She opened and closed her mouth repeatedly before settling her lips in a firm line. Letting out a tired sigh, she looked Ruby in the eyes. "Ruby, do you… think you could give me some advice?"

"Hm? Uh, sure?" Ruby responded, unsure. While she didn't mind giving advice, the best she had ever given was a series of 'Nope' to Jaune. Apparently that had worked out fine, so maybe she was good at giving advice… maybe?

"Well, it's about a friend," Pyrrha started, with Ruby paying rapt attention. "Well, I'm not sure if I should just call him friend. He's more like a best friend." Already Ruby could see where this is going. Boy trouble. "Well, I've been meaning to ask him something really important, but I'm a little worried that it would ruin our friendship."

"So you want to ask that special question but you're unsure because you don't wanna damage your relationship because you also like it where it is?" Ruby summed up, her tired state making her voice monotone. "I'm right, right?"

"That's correct." Pyrrha agreed, her smile wavering as she waited for Ruby's reply. Ruby herself took The time to think of a appropriate response to Pyrrha. While admittedly she wasn't good at this friendship stuff, having only started going through drama this year, she had enough experience to give proper advice for a friend.

"Actually, I don't really know what to say!" Ruby chuckled nervously. Pyrrha gave a sigh, berating herself for relying on someone else.

"It's fine Ruby. I will find a way to deal with these feelings." Pyrrha said, getting up to go to her room. She didn't see a reason to still be there. "I'm going to go to bed now. Thank you Ruby. Goodnight."

"W-wait!" Ruby said urgently, not willing to let this topic go without a satisfactory conclusion. Taking a deep breath, Ruby just went with the first thing on her mind. "If I had someone I liked, I would do my best to let him know. I mean, I'd probably be too nervous to tell him directly, but maybe trying to give him gifts and getting closer to him will help? I'm not really sure how I would do it, honestly."

"It's fine Ruby. I'll try to the gift idea though. I'm sure he would appreciate it." Pyrrha said as she walked away. Turning, she gave Ruby a wave goodbye. "Goodnight! And Thank You!"

With that, Pyrrha disappeared from sight. Staring at the empty space the Pyrrha once resided in, Ruby couldn't help but beat herself over that poor excuse of advice. 'Give him gifts and drop hints? Like she hadn't thought of that already!' Ruby thought as she started frantically eating her cereal, trying to hide her embarrassment.

Leaning back, she gave a loud burp. It may have come off as rude, or unfeminine as Weiss would have lectured her on about if she was here, but Ruby couldn't bring herself to honestly care. Of course, if she was in public she would have at least covered her mouth. Ruby wasn't Nora, and did feel embarrassed at certain actions like that.

As she sat in that moonlit room, Ruby couldn't help but ponder on Pyrrha's words. What exactly is love? Was it an extension of liking or admiration for someone that would eventually develop into a monad of emotions indescribable by man? A series of feelings that build up in time, bringing one to want to cherish one more than another? Or was it just a feeling more powerful than friendship, yet the same?

'Am I in love?' Ruby thought to herself, thinking back on the feelings she felt towards the people she knew. 'Well, I love Dad and Yang, but that's sort of a must. I also love Mom, and Uncle Qrow, and everyone on team JNPR! I love Blake, and Weis-…'

"Pfffft!" Ruby covered her mouth, trying to keep in her laughter at the image of her and Weiss cuddling together entered her mind. While Ruby wasn't against cuddling next to Weiss or anybody else she knew, it just looked like a strange sight. Ruby knew that Weiss would have stabbed her at least thirty times for the one second Ruby hugged her during her sleep. "Yeah, that's what besties are for!"

Getting up, Ruby set about cleaning up her mess. Using a mixture of soap and water, she set about making it cleaner than before. A total of three minutes passed, as the clean freak mentality that her father ingrained in her took over. After she was done, she set the bowl and spoon on the rack to dry off.

Walking back to the room was an easier task than it was leaving it, as her eyes had now adjusted to the darkness.

Throughout the walk, Ruby couldn't get her mind off that word- Love. What drove someone to love another? Why did Pyrrha love someone more than the rest? What made them so special that she would want to spend more time with them than everyone else? It just didn't make any sense, shouldn't you love everyone? If you did you would have so many more friends than you already have!

'Wait, who does Pyrrha like anyways?' Ruby thought to herself as she neared the door to her dorm. 'Bah! I don't think it's anybody important!' She stopped in front of her door, sneering at it. 'I need to remember to ask Jaune to fix this dang door! I'm sure he'll be free tomorrow, so first thing in the morning!'

Giving a great sigh, she took out her scroll and held it on front of the keycard. With two beeps, Ruby grabbed the knob, turned and walked forward.

Smack*

"Ow! W-what?" Ruby questioned, rubbing her sore nose. Turning the knob and pushing, she ran into the same problem as before. The door refused to budge. Her eyes widening, she ran the scroll through the scanner again, waited for the two beeps, and tried opening the door again. Ruby was met with the same answer as before. "What the heck!?"

Freaking out, she looked at the scanner as if it held all the answers. What was wrong? Looking at her scroll, she tr…

"What is this?" Ruby asked, staring at her scroll. Well, what was supposed to be her scroll. Instead, in the palm of her hand, was a green pickle. The pickle seemed to be in good condition, as if it was sitting in a jar.

Ruby stared at it with the most static expression she could give. Why was there a pickle in her pocket? Why, of all the times, was there a pickle in her pocket? This ripe, green vegetable had been in her pocket while she slept… why?

In a sudden burst of energy, she felt around her pockets, trying to find her scroll. Feeling something stiff in her right pocket, she reached down eagerly, grasping on the material in her clothing. With a rough tug, she whipped out whatever was in her pocket.

A piece of paper?

Slowly, Ruby unfolded the piece of paper, praying that this might help her. One, two, three, and four. After the forth fold, she was presented with a blank piece of paper. Flipping it over, Ruby spotted some writing on it.

"Quite a pickle you're in, huh?"

With a sudden unknown burst of strength, Ruby threw the pickle to the ground.

"THIS ISN'T FUNNY YANG!"

* * *

A shiver ran down his spine as he continued his walk back to camp. With a sudden lurch, he let out a powerful sneeze causing him to fumble with the firewood in his arms. With a groan, he wiped his face off on his shoulder. The night had been rough on the young traveler, and he would have preferred if he didn't have a sudden sneezing fit.

As the campsite came into view, he gave a sigh of relief. The journey back had been long and painful, as most of the wood had turned out to be wet, which wouldn't work for the fire. Sometimes, he wished he had a more elemental type power, like fire or wind, to keep campfires going. Thinking of that, it made him a little jealous of his companions that came along with him. Half of them had the flame based magic, which made it more depressing when he was only able to debuff others.

As he made his way out of the shrubbery, he was greeted with the sight of around twenty or so men and woman, all spread out around the campfire, sleeping soundly without a care in the world. He knew that that wasn't the case however. If he was a more open person, he would have sneered in disgust. He didn't know any if any of the disciples had any personality to speak of, but he understood that their masters were the self made portrait of selfish and egotistical behavior.

It was a miracle that he was able to stand being around others.

"Sir Pride!" A voice spoke up as a shadowed figure knelt in front of him. His face shrouded by the uniform they all wore. He faced his head towards the ground, his shoulders visibly shaking in fear. No doubt he believed he was going to be punished for something. "I am sorry I am so useless, Sir! If I had been able to use Fire based powers, I would have been able to keep the fire going without the need for you, Sir, to fetch us firewood!"

Ah, that.

With a sigh, he furrowed his eyebrows in irritation. Everyday, almost every hour, there was another person who apologized for the dumbest of things. From walking through mud, confronting a Grimm, to even bathroom breaks. It had been getting annoying. Well, that would have been seen as reasonable from a certain point of view actually. Prides small group, which were taking a break, had suddenly came into contact of one of Lusts searching parties. Apparently she needed to send a few of her soldiers to him and Greed's group for something or other.

'What did you do to these men, Lust?'

"It's fine." Pride said reassuringly. Walking past the shell-shocked grunt, he continued to set the firewood next to the campfire. Tossing a log into the fire, he took a seat on a cut down tree, tending to the fire. "I'm not going to beat you, Like Sloth. I'm not going to make you feel pain like Wrath. I'm not going to eat you like Gluttony. I'm also not going to chat your ear off about how Greed would. I also won't make you starve to death like Lust. I'm Pride, I don't bother hurting people who want to help but can't."

"B-But-" The grunt stuttered, not knowing what to say. When he was under Lust, he had seen men burned alive for just breathing in her direction. As she had put it, they were lesser than rats, expendable and replaceable. That they didn't even deserve to be in her presence.

"I might change my mind if you keep pestering me." Pride threatened, playing with the fire. This caused the Grunts eyes to widen. The horror stories his fellow disciples spoke of causing him to shiver.

"O-Oh! O-ok…" The grunt stuttered, standing nervously across the bonfire. He honestly didn't know how to respond to this, or if he should. He had heard horror stories of each of the Archbishops, and from the rumors, Pride was one of the more frightening ones. They never said why, but he had assumed that it was what he did to his men.

"You can sit down you know? It's going to be another hour before we switch shifts, so might as well get relaxed." Pride said, allowing the man to take a seat on the adjacent log. For this grunt, it was probably the most surreal experience he had. This Archbishop had an air of relaxation around him. He talked in a manner that made him seem almost normal, a stark difference from Sloth. It was almost… unnerving. Pride watched him out of the corner of his eyes, yet never leaving the flame that burned so bright. "I know I may be threatening, but the least you can do is chat. Prove to me that you're not another mindless drone."

The grunt flinched. How should he respond to this? With a silent nod of the head? A verbal confirmation? Maybe he should lie and act like he was normal? No, he had a feeling if he screwed up, which there was a high chance of, the Archbishop of Pride would be offended. While Pride did claim he wouldn't kill him, that could have been a lie. Maybe that's why Pride was so frightening to everyone else?

"I'll take that as a no." Pride sighed, his shoulders sagging. "I guess that would make sense, I am a frightening figure. Maybe in time you'll warm up to me. We do have three days left until we reach our next pit stop, so in that time, try your best to get along with everyone ok?"

The grunt flinched again. Why was this Archbishop so understanding? Weren't all Archbishops supposed to be the figureheads of insanity? With quirks that no normal being would be able to handle without missing some sense of reality? Why was it, if the Archbishops of the other Sins acted in this manner, was this man so different?

"Hey, where's Regulus?" Pride spoke up, looking around the campfire. "I don't see him anywhere. He usually doesn't leave without his partner."

Glancing over at Greed's partner, Pride couldn't help remember when he first met her. It was long ago, but it felt like it was just yesterday. Due to a series of events that involved a good number of powerful individuals, Greed and Pride had been cornered. Greed had brought his many wives along with him, assuming the enemy wouldn't find the secret to his power. That, in turn, backfired when one of the wives proclaimed that she held no love for Greed when urged by the enemy. This had started a series of proclamations by Greed's many wives opening their true feelings for Greed.

Never had Pride ever seen the always upbeat Greed look so hurt and defeated. All his wives, one by one, left his side and went to the enemy, cutting all connections to him, also breaking his powers. As the last one came to him, Pride had expected her to leave his side as well, but in a shocking turn of events, she hugged him.

The insane woman held the near broken man in her arms. What was once a horrible sight of betrayal, turned into one of the most romantic scenes Pride had seen. That day, while Greed lost many, he gained something worth much more than any of those wives. He received acceptance and love.

As with most worthless objects, most of those Wives ended up dead and discarded, as with their enemies.

"Sir Archbishop of Greed left to fetch firewood after you left. He wouldn't allow me to take his place, claiming that it wouldn't be selfless." The grunt responded, remembering the conversation he and Greed had. Well, conversation would have been a kind way to put it. After he had offered to get firewood in his place, Greed wouldn't stop going on and on about how selfless he was. If the grunt was honest, it gave him a headache thinking about it.

"Let me guess." Pride spoke up, grabbing his attention. A small smile adored Prides face. "As soon as I left, he made a troubled face, got up in a hurry, claimed that he needed to help while giving a long winded speech. After you offered to help, he gave a speech about being selfless and ran off. Am I right?"

"T-That's right!" The grunt confirmed, surprised at how accurate that was. Was this a thing that accord regularly? Pride gave a soft chuckle, running a hand through his hair.

"Yep, that sounds like him. Hey, let's make a bet." Pride said, making the grunt stiffen. Bets with Archbishops were never a good sign, as lives were usually put on stake. "Don't get so stiff about it. We're not actually betting anything here. This is just s way for people from where I'm from to take guesses. It's for fun." At this, the grunt relaxed a little. A little. "As soon as Greed walks back here, he's going to act surprised, say something like 'Oh, you're back' and then go on about how he looked for firewood too. He's probably gonna have too much firewood, say something about how we should use it for other nights and request praise."

"Ah, you're back already?" A voice called out. Looking behind him, Pride spotted a man standing at a proud 5'8, decked in all white and gold, but still in the standard apparel for the Cult. His white, medium length hair laid flat on his head. His eyes a crimson red, reflecting the fire of the camp. His smile seemed plastic, but held a sort of genuine feel to it. In his arms laid a good number of logs, no doubt from his searching. "As you can see, I went ahead and searched for some firewood too. If we don't need all this tonight, we can use it for the rest of the trip. You should be grateful, Subaru, as without me you would have needed to search for more later. I believe that is deserving of praise, no?"

"Told you, predictable isn't he?" Pride joked with the grunt, ignoring Greed. Greed, in turn, walked over to the log pile and dropped the wood on top of the other.

"Who's predictable, Subaru?" Greed asked, his face twitching slightly. It was obvious he was doing his best not to say anything more. Pride assumed he must be thinking of the others sleeping, or at least his partner. That's a good thing that changed with the whole wife problem. He started caring for her in a more than a object way. "You couldn't possibly mean me, as I do enjoy the fact not everybody could predict what I'll do next."

"Sadly, you're not as unpredictable as you think, Regulus!" Pride teased, a smirk making its way onto his face. It was getting visibly harder for Regulus to not throw a tantrum. "Well, actually, you are unpredictable at times. And to most people, no one is sure what you'll say next. I guess that's one of your more interesting qualities."

"Thank you!" Regulus said, sitting next to Pride. Greed crossed his legs and arms, a position he normally took when sitting down.

"I said one of your more interesting qualities, but honestly that's about it." Pride said, chuckling at the struggling look on Greed's face. It wasn't everyday that you got to see a Archbishop visibly struggle with something, so Subaru enjoyed this moment.

"You should be more grateful, Subaru!" Greed declared; shrugging his arms. "If it wasn't for me, you would have died long ago! I still remember the day you came running to me begging for my help, and when I saw the pitiful sight I couldn't turn you down! We fought through thick and thin that day!"

"Yeah, I am grateful for that." Pride admitted, tending to the flames. "If it weren't for you, I'd probably have been stuck there for awhile." Pride smirked at Greed. "But ever since then all you been doing us following my lead! You're like a baby duck following its mom everywhere!"

"Oof!" Greed's cheeks went red as he pouted, crossing his arms in displeasure. As Pride went on teasing him, the Grunt couldn't help but stare in amazement. He had heard Rumors that it was difficult to talk to the Archbishop of Greed. Not only because of his long winded speeches, but also the fact if you stopped listening to him you generally get killed. That looked like the exact opposite right here though.

While Greed was still indeed giving long speeches, it wasn't to the extent he did with Grunt. Greed also still talked about how grateful people should be around him, but Pride seemed to counter that with how useless his deeds truly were. The fact that Greed also didn't get angry either was amazing in itself. It was like two friends, chatting to each other and teasing the other.

Was this why Pride was so feared in the Church? Why everyone said such rude and detestable things behind his back? Was it because, no matter who it was, Pride seemed to get along with others(1)?

"Hey, I gotta ask you guys a favor." Pride spoke up, changing the subject. This caught the attention of both Greed and the Grunt, both looking st him questioningly. "I need you guys to keep this a secret from everyone else though, since this is pretty personal. K?"

"Of course, Sir Archbishop of Pride!" The Grunt nodded viciously. It wasn't like he really had a choice, seeing as he would most likely be killed if he denied this request. Archbishops don't take to kindly to refusal and failure.

"Is something the matter, Subaru?" Greed asked, curious and at the same time slightly worried about Pride. Once upon a time, this kind of worriedness was foreign to Greed, but ever since his Wives betrayed him, he had felt this need to cherish those close to him more. So seeing as Pride, the normally manipulative type, was straight up asking for a favor, that meant something serious was troubling him.

"Well, no, but not really." Pride spoke cryptically. He wasn't sure how to express this feeling other than a mild irritation or worry. "I guess I'm just a little irritated. It's hard to put it into words."

"About?" Greed asked, his shortest sentence ever being spoken. Right now, he didn't see any need to jumble sentences and phrases along with each other, as it would just waste time.

"Well, it's about my Gospel." Pride said, taking out a black book. The grunt looked in wonder at The object. The Church's gospel, which was handed out to everyone within the church, is an object that allows the user to follow a certain path that leads them to what their heart desires most. Be it fame, fortune, or even comradery, the book could lead you to that future. The only issue with this, is that the words within are always cryptic. They were never straightforward, so if someone misses their desire, then a new set of cryptic messages would appear. As Grunt stared in amazement at the object, he couldn't help but compare it to his own. At first glance, both Gospels would look completely identical, but in truth it wasn't. The Archbishops Gospel had much more markings on its cover, making it look ceremonial on the outside. "I need help trying to understand the words within my Gospel."

Both Greed and The Grunt looked at Pride in shock. Out of all the things that Pride could have requested, that was the last thing they could possibly think that an Archbishop would ask. There was an unspoken rule within the Church, one which even the Archbishops, _ESPECIALLY_ the Archbishops, held in tandem with their orders. It was the rule to never speak of the words within your Gospel. It was fine to talk about what your goals were, but to directly read aloud the words within the Gospel was a grievous sin. For one of the Six Archbishops to willingly speak of their Gospel was an honor to hear, yet a blasphemous sin to commit at the same time.

"Sir Pride! You can't possibly mean to speak the words within your Gospel, do you!?" Grunt objected, standing up. At Prides nod, the grunt seemed to shrink back in shock. "Why would you do such a heinous thing!? Isn't this against tradition to speak such words!?"

"Well, I guess, but I don't really care about tradition." Pride announced, staring at his book. "I mean, it's just a tradition that could be broken in a snap of my fingers. If there is no punishment for talking about my book of my free will, then I see no reason I shouldn't ask for the help of others. Also the fact that it would be to my benefit would be a great help, wouldn't it?"

"B-But-" The grunt stuttered, trying to find a reason that would be sensible to uphold this rule. No matter how much he thought though, his mind could only come up with the excuse that it was tradition. There was no other reason that could possibly change the Archbishops mind on this. He could only leave this in Greed's hands now.

"Exactly, Subaru." Greed spoke, failing all expectations of the Grunt. Staring at Greed like he grew a third head, the Archbishop continued with his speech. "It is just a tradition, and no one is forcing us to keep our mouths quiet on such a matter. If it is able to get us closer to our goal, shouldn't we take full advantage of this to further strive to the future we seek? What's so sinful of that?"

"Hahaha!" Pride started laughing, his face the prime example of happiness. Putting his hand on Greed's shoulder, he continued to laugh softly. "I knew I can count on you, Regulus! You never fail me!"

"Hahaha!" Greed laughed in turn, his face mirroring Prides. Greed put his hand on Prides shoulder, both laughing in sync. "You can always rely on me Subaru! You are my best friend, I could never allow you to suffer alone!"

"Oh stop it!" Pride said, acting sheepishly. Putting his free hand on his cheek, he looked away. "You can't possibly mean that."

"Subaru." Greed spoke, his voice deeper, putting his hand on Subaru's cheek, pushing his face so he was looking at his own. They stared each other in the eyes for what felt like an eternity, before Greed smiled charmingly. "Why would I ever lie about that. We are friends to the end."

"I agree." Subaru said, pulling away from Greed's touch, his hands fiddling with his Gospel. A look of embarrassment flashed across his face, that the grunt almost assumed was his imagination. "We aren't lovers though, so let's stop acting like this, please."

"Of course!" Greed agreed, giving a shrug. "I am unsure why you allowed that to go on longer than it needed too. By the time I tell you to rely on me, you usually smack away my hand. Perhaps you were putting on a show for our guest?"

"Yeah, yeah!" Pride said sighing.

The grunt looked between the two. This was the most intimate he had seen any of the Archbishops be towards each other. Why were these two on such a great relationship? Shouldn't they have hated each others guts?

"Anyways, let's try to find out this riddle before everyone wakes up." Pride spoke as he opened his Gospel. The grunt aimed to stop him, but the look Greed gave him shut him up. "Lets see here… found it! Alright, well, this is what it reads- 'Forgo the cold of snow, ignore your desire of the tropic wasteland, and shed your love for the place that feels like home. There you will search through silver eyes for what you most desire.'"

"Hmm. That actually sounds pretty straightforward." Greed summed up, grasping on to each word. At first it may have sounded like a riddle, but in reality it was more like directions. "Have you thought of anything that makes sense?"

"Yeah, actually." Pride said, putting the Gospel back into his in his cloak, he put on a thoughtful expression. "What I can understand from this is that it was basically telling me where to go. At first, I thought they were talking about the World Above, but then I realized that this should have been taken more literally. When it spoke of Forgoing the cold, they were talking about Atlas, not Gusteko. When they spoke of the desire of the tropic wasteland, it obviously meant Vacuo. Lastly, the place that feels like home. That sounds a lot like Kararagi, but if we think of the other two locations, it must be Mistral. So, taking all this into account, I was left with two areas to travel to. One, Lugnica, second, Vale. I chose Vale first because that seemed the most reasonable solution. Also the last time we tried going back to the World Above, half of us died trying to break through security."

"It seems like you have most of this already figured out, Subaru." Greed said, scratching his head. "I'm not sure what you need help with then, seeing as you pieced together the puzzle so well."

"Well, yeah, I got the directions down, but it's the last part I'm having trouble with." Pride spoke, scratching the back of his neck. "It says 'Through silver eyes you will find what you most desire.' Thing is, is that I already have what I desire. I have you, the Church and that assassin group. Last I heard, Elsa has been doing pretty well, and there doesn't seem to be any major threat coming after us, so I don't see a need to change."

No one spoke after this, for no one knew what to say. The Archbishop of Pride was a seat held for only the most prideful of beings, so it would be in the realm of reason that he would have believed he had already done everything in this life that there was to do. In his eyes, he didn't need much else in his life, so why go through the bother of attaining what the gospel claimed you wanted.

"Maybe you're wrong about this, Subaru?" Greed spoke, throwing out an idea of his. "What if you have just convinced yourself you have everything you want, but in reality you have just tricked yourself into believing such things? That your goal was so far for you that if you had not done so, you would fall in despair?"

"That's an interesting idea, but I don't think that that's so." Pride said, shrugging. "Besides, what could I possibly want?"

"Maybe it has to do with the silver eyes?" Greed offered, summing up his idea. "You already have the best friend, myself, and company of companions, but what about love? From what I see, you lack female companionship the most in your life. While females of our Church indeed admire you, they fear getting too close due to your position. What if these 'Silver Eye's' will lead you to salvation?"

"Oh, be quiet!" Pride said jokingly. "The more you talk, the more you sound like Betelgeuse, and we all had enough of that love struck freak."

"I do not enjoy the idea of being compared to that devoted freak." Greed said, disgusted at the thought. While it was true that both Greed and Sloth were members of the same Church, one was completely insane and the other slightly normal. It was also true both of them were monsters, but it depended on your point of view. While Sloth went out of his way to kill everyone of his targets and neighboring towns, Greed only went for his targets and those that attacked him. Like that one town in The Volakia Empire. While his aim was to kill the merchant who was selling Church items, the guards and some citizens just _had_ to get involved. That lead to most of the town being burned to the ground. "But I still think that it may lead to something similar. What else do you need in this world other than love? The Silver Eye's may lead you to finding your destined one, as my ex-wives lead me to mine!"(2)

"I'm telling you Regulus! I don't need something as dumb as that." Pride said, putting a log in the fire. Even though he said that, Pride couldn't help but let his mind trail at the thought of love. Why would anyone bother with such a thing? Such a base emotion caused by chemicals reacting to each other to make one care for another in a way more than a friend? It was useless, besides for the mutual agreement of reproduction. Other than that, there was no reason to love another.

"Ah?" The grunt spoke up, sounding surprised. With a sudden jolt, he stood up, a shard of ice forming in his hand. "Sir Greed, Sir Pride, watch out!"

With a smile, Greed didn't even bother to turn around, already knowing the conclusion of this encounter. With a ruffle of leaves, and a mighty roar, a black claw cleaved through him, yet he was untouched. With his eyes alone, he watched the claw head for Prides neck.

Closing his eyes, Pride cracked his right index finger. The speeding claw came to a stop, just an inch from striking his neck. Breathing in, Pride started cracking his knuckles, one by one. As he did so, the beast that dared to intrude in their conversation was sucked into the fire, its body breaking and forced to shrink by an unknown force. A cry of pain and terror escaped its throat before the unknown force pushed it's head into its body.

Within a second, the Grimm that was about to kill Greed and Pride disappeared, leaving nothing but a trail of black mist. Out of the corner of his eye, Grunt could see other Church members waking up, but he couldn't take his eyes off Pride. The cool and collected monster that tended to the campfire with a smile to his face.

It was then that Grunt realized why Pride was so terrifying. It wasn't his personality or how gruesome it was. It was something that made him different from the other Archbishops. Something that he didn't think would scare him so much.

Pride was an Enigma.

"Love, huh?" Pride thought Out loud, looking up to the starry sky. The moon broke and splintered, mixing with the stardust in the ever expansive sky.

The Archbishop of Pride, Subaru Natsuki, gave a hearty laugh at the idea.

* * *

1) **This Subaru is almost the same as light novel Subaru. Like after Rem died, he was willing to do anything for his goal, but didn't let it control him. This is essentially the only true difference is that he's not... well, good.**

 **2) No. Just no. Again, there are no pairings set in stone. I don't think Ruby will like Subaru after some of the things he does later on. NO PAIRINGS!**

 **Well, that was interesting. I thought up like 3 arcs while writing this. Makes me excited, but I'm trying to not let it control me, as I tend to start writing terribly when that happens, as seen in my other projects.**

 **Anyways, I need to say something. I'm not sure what I'm doing hinting Ruby x Subaru/Pride. I mean, I like the idea, but I'm not sure. The reason I like it is because of how Subaru sees the world. He sees the world in a horrible light. That everyone is scheming, lying backstabbers who would do anything to get what they want. This would work great with Ruby as she's the most innocent and kind person you could think in this world. Well, besides Emilia but that's already going on in another one of my fics and he's just clinging to her because she insists. So I'm unsure if this is the main pairing, but it might be. Btw, I hate making pairing before the story, so there might be a change.**

 **Edit- So again, I don't like having my stories pairings first unless that's a main plot. I personally have the pairings I want, as anyone would, but I'm brushing them to the side. These characters move by themselves, and it wouldn't be right to push them together. Like like non of the main cast are going to be forced onto Subaru, cause I hate Harems.**

 **Weird how my two favorite series are Negima and Toaru Majutsu no index.**

 **Besides Re:Zero and RWBY of course.**

* * *

 _Story Rant_

 **Ok, I need to say something. The Cult in this world is slightly different from canon. Don't worry, they're still evil as all hell, but the difference is is that I'm putting in my theory here.**

 **I think the Cult is extremely racist. Through all the attacks, it's always been shown to be none human settlements. The Oni village, and Emilia's elf village. While that's only two examples, that is enough for me to think their racist and it has to do with the Witch. It also explains why almost all the Members are human besides Wrath.**

 **Do you see where I'm going here?**

 **Also, I'm quite happy with the poetic writing in the beginning. I might stick with that. Thoughts,**

* * *

 _Personal rant_

 **Ok, as I said above, I started the RWBY x Re Zero fic originally because I was really hyped up. I also wanted a awesome story to call my own. I quit writing it because it just didn't seem right at the time. I was basically copying a whole bunch of fics and calling them my own. I didn't want that.**

 **So, I took a break and practiced my writing. I'm getting better, but I have a long way to go before I am happy with my writing. After that, I scrapped the ideas for the previous fic and messed with them in my head. Originally, Subaru was slowly going to join the Cult, and Emilia was going to die. I practically spoiled it in the last fic. This fic, I started with Subaru already in the Cult, which you'll find out how as time goes on, and mixed around character backgrounds. I mostly messed with Re Zeroes group, and Pyrrha. Pyrrha has no freaking background in canon besides she's a freaking gladiator, so I need to spice this up.**

 **Also, don't worry Rem fanboys. She's in this. She'll play a part in the story later. Heck, I love Emilia more, but I think I gave Rem a bigger part to play.**

 **Last thing. Subaru is evil in this fic. It'll probably change. We'll see.**

 **Hmm. I feel like I'm forgetting something. Meh. Well, if you like this, I would like to hear your thoughts. Especially ideas. Same with my Coexistence fic, even the simplest of ideas give me motivation. There is one guy who already gave me 2 ideas since the beginning. It's been 2 freaking chapters. 2! And one of them he wasn't even trying!**


	2. The Four Friends

I **should note this before I start, Subaru and Regulus aren't good people in this fic. Well, that's what Im trying to write anyways, but I have a habit of making people look like good guys while writing their perspective. So this is new ground for me. Also, this isn't Dark Lord Subaru (yet). He's bad, but to a sense. In Ayamatsu he held pity for the wives of Regulus. In this, he didn't care one bit. But I'll still try to portray him as bad beyond 'I wanna kill everything!'**

Yeah. **I basically didn't know what to write for description. I need a better one. Anyone got any ideas?**

Also, **forgot to put this in last chapter, but I always answer questions and respond to every review at the very bottom of the chapter. Mostly the reason I do that is because I appreciate when people take time out of their day to leave one. That, and I usually skim over some flaws in my writing and I like pointing them out. Makes me a better writer for it.**

 _Edit_ \- **Never writing 40 pages again. Oh god this was weird. Btw, I need opinions on pacing. Is it too fast? Too slow?**

 _ **FOR PURE RWBY FANS**_ \- This chapter is mostly dedicated to Re Zero characters. Future Arcs will focus entirely on one character from RWBY or two characters. I just need to find a resolution for their problems.

 _ **Important!-**_ please forgive me for the cringe skeleton scene! Not removing it, because I need to face my shame. Wont happen again Edit- removed it cause it's doesn't follow the flow of the story.

 _WARNING_ \- **There is a scene in this chapter some readers may get offended by. I'm not sure, but I think the implications are plenty to warrant a warning.**

 _ **Thanks again my Beta, Mayazra! You've been awesome! Betas are awesome!**_

* * *

Outskirts of Vale

Mid Day

The sun shined brightly today, burning his pale skin as he pushed past the shrubbery in his way. Rays of light obscured his vision, making the path difficult to see. The branches tugged on his cloak, pulling and pushing him with the eagerness of a child. He faintly heard the telltale sign of clothing being ripped, much to his ever growing annoyance.

Truly, Pride hated the outdoors at times. It reminded him of the days of the past, before he joined the Church. Before when his family was but a simple one.

Slapping his neck, he killed another mosquito. He truly hated walking in the forest.

Why he couldn't just levitate like his fellow Archbishop annoyed him to no end. It seemed even The Witch of Envy played favorites when it came down to abilities. Having the ability to faze through anything and basically move your physical body to another dimension was really, really useful. What did he get? The oh so precious ability to travel back in time upon death and the ability to steal other Archbishop abilities.

While Pride was indeed grateful for both abilities, they were basically useless when it comes down to it. Yes, traveling back to the past upon death gave him a chance to fix prior mistakes, but on more than one occasion when he had done a perfect loop, some guy had a lucky chance to stab him in the back during a purging. Not only was it painful, doing it all over again was repetitive beyond belief. Not to mention he had to act like everything was new again, following a set path that would lead to a 'Happy End' he wanted. Maybe there was a way to set a save point manually?

Then there was the 'Absorption' ability. The only way he even knew about it was due to a scuffle with Betelgeuse. During the first days of his initiation into the Church, Betelgeuse had posed a question about his thoughts on Satella. When Pride gave an unsatisfactory answer, he had been beaten to death. Upon reboot, furious and vengeful, Pride had successfully killed Betelgeuse. Strangely enough, when Betelgeuse came back in another body, he wasn't that angered by the attack but claimed that it was the Witches doing that his body had died. Something about how his body had outlived its use and he needed a new one.

This had the affect of pissing off Pride even more. Not that he took it in stride, but the fact that Betelgeuse had a much more handsome body now.

It was a month later he had found out he had practically stolen Betelgeuse ability. Sort of. Betelgeuse still had his ability, the 'Unseen Hand.' Yet Pride did too. A much weaker version of it though. Its reach was around a foot long, and he wasn't able to summon many hands, but it was enough to make him realize his new ability.

And his new ability was useless. It mimicked other Archbishop abilities but was less effective. Also the only way to mimic others abilities were to kill the other Archbishops, which was a no go for Pride. If he started a crusade against them, his head would be on a silver plate on the millionth death.

With the audible sound of tearing fabric, Pride had enough. With a yell of irritation, he ran forward, 'hands' coming out and making a path for him. The snaps and cracks of branch's, twigs and occasional tree joined the scream of an enraged teen.

Coming to a stop, Pride greedily took in deep breaths of air. Leaning on a tree, he could feel sweat grace his forehead in heaps. That was another downside to the 'Absorption' ability. While Pride was able to use the ability to a certain extent, it took a lot out of him to keep it up for long. Using it in quick bursts was fine, but other than that put a strain on him.

"Pfft!" A sudden burst of chuckles and flat out laughter erupted behind him. His eyebrow twitching, he turned to glare at the group of Church members trying, and failing, to rein in their laughter. Half of them anyways. The other half were freaking out, trying their best to stop the others from laughing. Obviously, the ones afraid were of Lusts group. One of the more outspoken members pointed at him and laughed. "Can't handle a little green, huh Sir?"

"Awe shut it! You try walking in these miserable uniforms and you'll understand why it's so frustrating!" Pride said, causing the group to silence. That was before his face reddened in embarrassment, causing the other cloaked companions to burst out laughing again. "Y-You know what I mean, prick!"

With that, Pride stomped off in an embarrassed rage. If this was a cartoon, steam would have been blowing from his ears, like a kettle that was left on the stove for too long. He could hear the laughter fade as he got farther, the members having a field day. Even with this minor screw up, he couldn't find it in himself to detest them. They were his comrades. The ones who stuck by him through thick and thin. The ones who picked him up when he was down.

They were his friends.

Unlike the mindless drones that made up everybody else's groups, Pride was able to instill personality within them. This made the long trek from The World Above to Remnant all that more bearable.

"Once again, you express your abilities in the most mundane way conceivable!" A voice above him spoke with no small amount of amusement in his tone. Looking up, he took in the sight of the floating prick himself, Regulus Corneas. Admittedly, Regulus looked like a god coming down from the heavens to greet his followers. If he was any other person, Pride knew he would have looked at him in awe. If Pride was kinder, he would have told him this. Deep down though, Pride knew that if he even spoke a word of that to him, Regulus wouldn't shut up for the next year about that. "You could at least show some flair with your abilities you know? A shout of triumph or calling out your ability as you strike. Running and screeching like a banshee is not only unprofessional, but unimpressive. Imagine all those people who we fought screaming as they attack. Embarrassing, isn't it?"

"Oh shut your trap you prick!" Pride joked as he watched the White haired priest land next to him. They both continued their journey next to each other. "You know full well how hard it is to stay off man made paths. It's so irritating and difficult, and I swear I'm going to have to stitch new cloaks for us by the end of this."

As if to confirm this, his cloak tore again, much to the growing ire of Pride. Regulus laughed as Pride pulled on his cloak and proceeded to cry at the sight of the torn edge. It was a secret to Regulus and Pride, but Pride enjoyed sewing, but doing it every other day got on the repetitive side of things.

"Could you just cut a path for us, Regulus? Please?" Pride begged, tears streaming his cheeks as he held the torn fabric. Regulus couldn't help that his smile grew into a grin at the sight of Pride. It wasn't everyday you saw the living representation of Pride begging for anything, so you must cherish these small memories.

"I'm not so sure, Subaru. Last I remember, you seemed to be prideful of the fact that you could travel through most terrain." Regulus shrugged, enjoying the sight of Pride freezing, his eyes widening in realization. "Of course, if you want to take a little break from the difficult path ahead, that's fine too. I'll just cut a pa-"

"Forget it!" Pride yelled venomously. Stomping in anger and irritation, Pride cut his way through the bushes, barely visible hands briefly appearing a disappearing as it swatted away the offending plants. Regulus watched in amusement as he trailed behind Pride, his path of destruction making a man made trail.

"That was a wise choice, Sir Greed." A woman spoke up behind him. Regulus turned to see a Church member, her face all but obscured besides the lower half. She was of normal height, with deathly pale skin that seemed smooth from where he was standing. She didn't stand out much compared to other Church members, besides the hood having two 'ears' instead of a cone. This woman was the last of Greed's wives, the one who stuck by him when no one else would, Purpura. "If you had relented and helped Sir Pride, then that would have jeopardized our mission."

"Oh?" Regulus responded, surprised. He honestly wasn't aiming for that. His goal was to tease Pride for as long as Pride could handle, not do so to forward their mission. Of course, Greed would never admit to that. "Of course! If we had assisted Subaru in making his way through the foliage, then that could have made it easier for the main road to spot us!"

"Exactly." The woman agreed as she walked alongside Regulus, who's face took on a look of surprise in the fact that he was indeed right. "While you two may be good friends, for which I am happy for, we mustn't forget why we are traveling with Sir Pride to begin with."

"Ah, yes. I remember well. For now though, let us enjoy the company of others and travel with haste!" Regulus spoke, floating towards the fuming Archbishop. Purpara stared at the two friends with a fading smile. While she indeed held love for Regulus and the friendship between Greed and Pride, she couldn't help but worry. As time went on, something in Greed had changed, whether that was for better or worse was entirely based on your prospective. His feelings, which were unbreakable and selfish were now feeble and selfless. While those traits were exclusively for those close to him, Regulus could be broken in a snap. By either her or Pride.

Pride would never betray Greed, would he?

* * *

Cliff Overlooking Vale

A Few Hours Later

"You want to what!?" Pride yelled in surprise. The entirety of the Church Expedition turned to him in a look of mutual surprise. At this, Pride gave a soft cough, trying to clear his throat.

It had taken no longer than an hour to reach their destination. Well, the border at least. From what one of Lusts men reported, Vale was an extremely tricky place to sneak into, even for the Church. It should have been no surprise, seeing as Vale was one of the Four Kingdoms of this world, security should be tight. If it wasn't then it would have fallen to this world's monsters by now.

The solution for them was easy though. In casual clothing, they would act the part of refugees. Walking through the front gate would be a breeze, allowing them to start their mission. Perfect, right? Nothing could possibly go wrong.

Well, sure, if Regulus wasn't suggesting they split up.

"As I said, I believe we should split up." Regulus said, crossing his arms in thought. "I mean, don't get me wrong; I want to travel with you as much as I can but if we don't split here I doubt we would get anything done."

"That's a heavy load of bull crap and you know it!" Pride accused, pointing a finger at Regulus. "We have traveled together forever and done all our missions exceptionally well, even if I haven't been to Vale before, we won't fail now!"

"That may be so, but I still think we should split up." Regulus said, shrugging. "The way I see it, this is the first time you ever entered a Kingdom, correct? You should take the time to see the sights. View the city without worrying about anything trying to kill you. Besides, we are most likely going to end up on every single wanted article if we screw this up."

"The more I hear you talk, the more I think you didn't come up with this plan." Pride said, looking at Regulus suspiciously. As he glared down Greed, Pride started to notice the strange behavior that surrounded Regulus. It might have been his imagination, but every now and then his feet would start tapping rapidly, his finger which laid on his arms would start twitching, and his eyes would dart left and right, almost like he was guilty of something.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. I am just trying to help a friend enjoy his time in this world." Regulus responded, forcing a smile. To Pride, it was the most white faced lie anybody had told him.

"I knew it! You're too selfish to think if something so selfless like that!" Pride yelled, grabbing onto Regulus's uniform and shaking him back and forth. If there was one thing Pride detested, it was lies. The manipulation of another's mind by twisting the truth in their favor. He hated that, Especially when it was his best friend doing this

"H-Hey! S-s-stop th-that!" Regulus said, slowly his head starting to ache. His expression slowly turned into one of bliss as Pride lifted him up and swung him around. "Higher! Higher! Go Higher!"

"I'll be sure to send you to the moon!" Pride yelled as he swung him off the edge of the cliff overlooking Vale. Pride could hear the laughter of Regulus as he fell to his death, and the many surprised gasps of the Church Members witnessing the event. With a haste that was impossible for man, a few members ran to the edge of the cliff, to confirm if the Archbishops had died or not. Sadly, he did indeed survive; floating upwards to the sky as if to mock Prides efforts in the murder.

"I honestly didn't expect you to throw me off the cliff, Subaru." Regulus admitted as he landed, the Members watching in awe. No doubt his popularity pole went up sixty percent just now. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to kill me!"

"Who the hell said I wasn't!" Pride spit bitterly. From the core of his being, he detested lies. In all honesty, he was hoping Greed had died from that fall. At least it would bring him satisfaction before he traveled back in time. "You know how much I hate lies, yet you do this anyways! I have half the mind to gut you where you stand!"

"Now, there is no need for such violence. I was just looking out for your well being." Regulus spoke, before backing down at the glare Pride gave him in turn. "While I do admit it was uncalled for to lie."

"Then why the hell did you lie? I mean, there's no reason for us to split up at all! I could even help you with your mission!" Pride responded solemnly. While he wouldn't admit it out loud, it did hurt him that best friend lied like this. A normal lie, fine, but this was one trying to split the two up. It just wasn't right.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Sir Pride." Purpara spoke up. Making herself known was a risky move on her part. While it is true that Pride treats his men better than the other Archbishops, he did occasionally lash out at them. If they, for example, lied or tried to manipulate him, they would get a beating. Pride wouldn't go so far as to break bones or kill, but he did rough them up. Purpura walking up to an agitated Pride was like seeing if a wild cat would bite. It was totally unpredictable. "I'm sorry for having asked my dear husband to lie you, but I believe it was necessary. I think it would be wise to avoid joining us on this mission. It is true that we might end up on every single wanted ad this side of the Hemisphere, and you shouldn't be on that list if it can be prevented."

"All the more reason I should join you!" Pride insisted. At the questioning look Purpura gave him, Pride continued, urgency in his voice. "Look at it this way: It sounds like you're gonna do something big, right? So that means you'd need more hands! If you guys get in trouble, another Archbishop would be able to pull you out of any sort of pickle you may be in!"

"Possibly, but I still think it would be unwise." Purpura shook her head, like she was talking to a child. She probably was considering no one knew her age. "From what I remember, this world is able to have flyers out on our appearances in a clap of hands. That would mark us and, by extension, you as criminals within a days time." Purpura smiled, deciding to bring out her trump card. "Besides, aren't you looking for the Silver Eyes?"

In that brief instant, time seemed to slow to a crawl. Surprise ran through Purpura's face as she could have sworn she saw Pride glare in her direction, before everything returned to normal. Pride gave a deep breath, turning to Regulus with a glare that could rival the gods.

"I thought I told you to keep that a secret." Pride stated, remembering the night beforehand.

"Ah, I didn't tell her, Subaru. I swore to keep my mouth shut, and I plan to keep it that way." Regulus responded, shrugging, but not really caring. If Pride ended up throwing a fit, which was extremely rare, then he and Purpura would just continue with the mission. Dealing with upset Archbishops was not Regulus' forte.

"Actually, Sir Pride, it was I who overheard your chat." Purpura spoke, honesty dripping from her voice. "When you and Sir Greed spoke of the Gospel, I couldn't help but listen in. My apologies." Purpura said, bowing to the Archbishop before returning to her normal posture.

"Oh!" Subaru said, smiling softly as the sun hit his face. "You should have said so! I thought you guys had broke a promise! I'll have to make sure that everyone is asleep next time! My bad!"

"Anyways, what's with this ridiculous plan of yours? To split up because our faces could be broadcasted to the country is idiotic. If you haven't noticed, most of what we do is against the law anyways." Pride reasoned, his distaste to the idea as plain as day. Purpura flinched at the tone he used, still not over the event that happened prior.

"While I can agree with the last part, I still hold firm that we should part ways." Purpura insisted, not willing to back down. "Yet if you continue to insist, I won't stop you." Purpura turned around, doing her best to hide her repulsion. "If I were you though, I would take this chance to look for the Silver Eye's. This may as well be your one and only chance."

Pride watched as Purpura walked away, doing his best not to spit in her direction. It wasn't like he detested her or anything, but it annoyed him to no end how this woman thought her plan was better than his. It didn't matter if he was caught, he'd just restart until he received the ending he wished for.

"I do believe we should split up too, Subaru." Regulus spoke, his voice catching the surprise of the dark haired teen. With eyebrows raise, Pride watched as Regulus exaggerated his movements. "I believe, that for the good of you, we should part ways here! If not for only going about our own objectives, but also finding your inner most desire! If you do not take this chance, you may not ever have it again!"

"I-I don't think that is a wise idea." Pride looked away, towards the distant skyscrapers. From here, they seemed to shine with an otherworldly light. Almost like a beacon, yet the same as a warning. 'If you come near, you shall die.' Who the warning was for was obvious. "If either of us gets attacked, we could possibly die. With you on your last wife, you could be overpowered very easily."

"Who do you think you are speaking too?" Regulus spoke, his tone taking a sudden shift. Pride couldn't help but flinch as he spoke. Whenever he used this voice it meant he was serious. "I am the embodiment of perfection! Wanting of little, there is no limit to my humbleness and I live without avarice. I will not fall by the hands of anyone! Much less cattle like these city folk!" Regulus face softened, as he gently laid his hand upon Prides shoulder. Pride looked up, sadness in his eyes. "With that said, I urge you to look into your own future and not mine. Our paths shall diverge here, do you understand?."

"Regulus… You…" Pride spoke, unsure of what to say. Regulus had never acted this selfless before. He almost sounded kind, by the way he spoke. His eyes held no ulterior intent, which further drove home that Regulus might have a change of heart.

"Ahh! I will not hear more of this tomfoolery." With that, Regulus gave him a real, bonafide smile. Not a static nor plastic smile that usually accustomed his features. This was the genuine article. "Do not fret, dear friend, for we will meet again one day. It may be tomorrow, a week, month or year from now, but I am sure we will meet again."

With that, Regulus turned around, leaving Pride in a speechless state. Not once in his many days of being with the Church did Regulus do anything truly selfless. Sure, he helped out, but it was obvious he always wished for something in return. If he picked up a knife, he expected a sword. If he harvested wheat, he wished for bread. Always, without exception, he spoke of how selfless he was. How perfect he was. Not once did anyone think of this to be true.

Yet as he watched the retreating figure of the white priest, he couldn't help but think every over exaggerated speech and declaration made by this man to be true. That he was truly selfless. That he was truly useful. That he was more than just a man, but a perfect being. An angel in human skin.

And his dear friend.

"Wait!" Pride yelled, halting the Priest. Looking over his shoulder, Regulus's golden smile only helped reaffirm his decision. "You think I would let such a selfless guy like you off without a' gift in return!?" Pride yelled, his smiling growing wider. Looking to the group of men and woman cloaked in their garbs, they understood the meaning behind his eyes. They would follow his orders without fail. "Men, Women, and friends! I hereby command thee to follow my orders as one of the six remaining Archbishops of Sin! I command thee to assist and protect the Archbishop of Greed, Regulus Corneas! Do so with your lives on the line! Failure to uphold this command is a grievous sin, and you shall be punished accordingly! This command is in effect until we meet again! Do I make myself clear!?"

"Aye Captain!"

"Yes, Boss!"

"I hope to see you soon, Sir!"

Multiple cheers and yells of understanding met Prides ears. The smallest of smiles graced his features as he looked upon his best friend, who seemed to be shell-shocked if his expression was anything to go by. The priest, who's face never failed to smile, seemed to forsake that unsung oath. His eyes held a shock that seemed to reverberate through his body. Watery eyes, that one would never admit too, met his being. His fists clenched as he did his best to hide the feelings he repressed.

"Subaru… You…" Regulus voice shook and cracked. It may have been only two words, but it was filled with enough emotion to last a lifetime.

"No take backs, Regulus." Pride spoke, his voice firm and resolved. "You are my most cherished friend, and I don't want to see you plastered on the street. We may not be good people, but we are who we are, so I don't see a need for us to ever change." Pride- no- Subaru spoke with all honesty, each word carrying his honest feelings. "You are my best friend, and that will never change. I hope we meet again soon."

Unshed tears graced Regulus' face, as he turned his back to Subaru. Regulus couldn't handle looking at Subaru anymore than he had. Fear that, if he let his instincts control him, he would back out on this vow. Subaru deserved happiness for all he went through. If Regulus couldn't even grant a friend this sort of freedom, what right did he have to call Subaru a friend.

"You better find the Silver Eye's, Subaru!" Regulus yelled, stomping away in a fury. "You better find them, and tell me all about them when we see each other again! I won't take no for an answer!"

With that, the albino was off. Floating away in a rage, the members leaving one by one. His subordi- no- friends waved goodbye as they followed the ever retreating Archbishop. Soon, he was left alone, the ruffle of trees as wind pushed against them the only sound he was graced with.

"I will, Regulus… I will." With that, he looked to the expansive city in the distance. He would be lying if he said looking at the towers didn't fill him with wonder. An excitement resembling that of a kids filled him, and a grin made its way on his lips.

"No point staring at them! I gotta urge to explore!"

With that, Subaru Natsuki was off.

* * *

Commercial District

Midnight

"Where is she!?" An enraged voice yelled, his voice panicked and fearful. The sound of heavy footsteps moving around with brisk pace filled the air with resounding thunder. Yet through it all, she could hear the captain's screaming. "Where in the hell is she!?"

"I-I don't k-know!" One of the fearful soldiers under his command whimpered. She felt slightly bad, as it was her doing he was in this mess. If she hadn't ran away then maybe they could have gotten a pay raise. Now, however? "S-She was with us just a s-second ago, then she disappeared again!"

"Y-yeah!" The second soldier agreed, backing his comrade up. She was starting to feel extremely bad, knowing the consequences of their negligence. "She W-was right behind us! Then we got here and she was gone! I swear!"

"I don't care whether you were watching her or if she was even here!" The Captain yelled, causing the soldiers to squirm under his gaze. "She isn't here right now, right!?" There was no response, most likely the other two were to fearful of his reaction. Sadly, that was worse than responding it seemed. "AM I RIGHT!?"

"Y-Yes!" The two soldiers stood up straight, the Captain glaring down at his subordinates. He no doubt felt extreme disappointment for these two, even if they were telling the truth. Walking back and forth, he kept them on edge, fearful for his next action.

"Fine!" The Captain spoke up, walking away from the two. "As punishment for your negligence, you two will be on Shop duty for the night!"

"W-Wah!"

"S-Sir! Please wait! W-"

"I don't want to hear any complaints! If I hear one more word about this, I will reassign you to Generator duty for the rest of the week!" The Captain said, leaving no room for complaints. She could practically hear the unsung complaints of the poor soldiers.

Having heard enough, she pushed herself off the wall and joined the many other pedestrians on the sidewalk. Blending in, she slowly drew farther and farther away from the Military outpost.

Penny Polendina was by all terms and logical reason, not human. She wasn't by any means a Faunus, nor a being from the World Above, or the Monsters that lurk beyond the natural barriers of Vale. She, in essence, was the only one of her kind. A Robot.

While the stories of fiction depicted her species as mindless, heartless, murdering machines bent on destroying life itself, she was anything but. She held the emotions of those that lived, or so she thought. While it closely resembled emotions, she herself was unsure whether they were real or not. If she was but a program easily deleted at a press of a button.

Was she even real?

"Of course you're real!" A voice from her past spoke up. Her memory file replaying the scene from her mind. "You think just because you have nuts and bolts instead of squishy guts makes you any less real than me?"

But was that really true?

Did an animate object such as herself really exist? That deep down, she held a soul just like all of those around her. That she wasn't just a pile of nuts and bolts compiled together with Aura? That, when she took in this air, it was actually being used as fuel to keep moving instead of making her look normal?

That when she died, she would transcend and go to this 'Heaven' everyone speaks so dearly about?

Shaking her head, Penny did her best to rid her thoughts of these plagues. She wasn't out here on a dance of despair, but a tour of Vale. Penny escaped the grasp of the Military to go near the towers in the distance, to look up in wonder at the World man had built with their hands. To record every single bit of this world before she inevitably returned to her father.

The people around her looked at her strangely, but it wasn't for long. The thoughts of Vales citizens were of no concern to her, but if she were to hazard a guess, it would be because of her palms. Penny had yet to repair the false skin on her palms, which stood out next to the peach white skin she had. She assumed that the reason no one commented on it was because they must have been used to strange sights by now.

Nearing the towers, she couldn't help but stare in wonder at the bright buildings. If she adjusted her eyes correctly, she would be able to the stars in the backdrop, glistening in delight for the life they had been given.

Maybe she was like a star? While lifeless, a star still made a difference to the world. The sun brightened the sky, gave plants their energy and humans their vitamins. Maybe she was the same, being able to change the world for the better? To keep these lives around her moving forward without any worries.

That was a beautiful thought. Her sole purpose for existing to keep the wheels of fate turning for these people around her. To protect and serve, not only as a duty, but of her own will. Penny enjoyed that thought, as she could feel her chest warm at the thought.

But still, the question was; was she alive?

"No!" Penny loudly said, startling those near her. "Ruby said I was alive, so I must be! Ruby wouldn't lie like that!"

Slapping her cheeks, she felt a sting of pain processed through her programs. Ignoring the odd looks she was given, she continued on her way, taking in the sights of this new world. Truly, it was fascinating how Vale differed from Atlas to such an extent.

Atlas was a military country, and It treated it's city as such. It would be difficult not to see at least one soldier on your day to day business. They acted as a stand in for the police and special units, and treated each incident as a federal crime. It was due to this militaristic lifestyle that Atlas had become a much more grimmer place to live. It was also due to this that crime was low.

Yet here in Vale, the feeling in the air was more free. Without the Military breathing down the neck of every other citizen who accidently stepped on their toes, it felt… cleaner. Like none of the disgusting smog of hate and pain existed. As if every person on this wide green earth was free to do what they wished, as they wished.

Was this the future that awaited the world once the Grimm were vanquished? If so, Penny wouldn't mind working for years to achieve this dream.

A crowd of murmur caught Penny's attention. Eavesdropping, she could hear questions arise from a crowd near her. "Who are they?" "Is that some kind of cosplay?" "Are those celebrities?". All these questions left her curious. Making her way through the crowd, she spotted a group of two walking on the adjacent sidewalk.

Truly, it was a sight that stood out from the rest of the city. Garbed in all white, from the tips of his hair down to the soles of his shoes, was what looked like a priest. Gold lined His uniform, as if to declare His higher status. His face was nothing but 'ordinary'. With no striking features besides the black book in his hand. Following close behind was a woman(?) in a garb in a complete polar opposite of the man. She wore nothing but black and purple, with a cat hood covering her face. Her skin was a deathly pale, but her smile seemed to radiate an unnatural beauty. Her hands were locked together, in a prayer.

If these two were to walk around a medieval setting, they wouldn't have stood out that much. Penny may have even forgot about them without a second glance. Here though? They stood out like a sore thumb next to all the men in dark suits and ties. There were few others other than herself that stood out, so this came as a strange sight for her.

As the crowd seemed to gather, watching the two as they moved along, Penny's curiosity seemed to only grow. A emotion she had come accustomed to gripped her chest, telling her that she must follow them. To know more about them, and even befriend them.

"Right!" With a haughty smile, she followed the two, trying to find a way to get to them.

* * *

"Is this it?" Regulus asked, looking up at the building with his ever so present smile. The building was old, having seen many days of wear and tear. It was no doubt on its last legs, and seemed pathetic standing next to the goliaths called skyscrapers. Walking up next to him, Purpura pulled out a small piece of paper. Giving it a once over, she gave her lover a nod.

"It appears we have the right address." Purpura said, hiding the note paper in her cloak. She gave Regulus a smile, putting the very irritable man at ease. It was still surprising that not long ago she was just a number to him. A number he memorized, but still a number. Now, here she was, ready to commit another atrocious crime in the name of her lover.

Purpura was never part of the Cult/Church of Envy. Apparently to Envy she wasn't worthy, but Greed himself had claimed that she was. Having chosen to stick with the man, to him that was enough to put her on a higher pedestal than any of the other wives. Of course, Regulus saw himself as a higher being, but she didn't mind. Purpura was always the submissive one anyways.

"Finally!" Regulus spoke, stretching. It had taken all day to track this person down. Their objective had been clear in the Gospel, yet who they were supposed to kill was difficult to narrow down. After many trial an errors, they were able to track it down to this location. "I still can't believe someone as great as me had to be sent on this wild goose chase. Shouldn't the most perfect being be respected and adored, not dirtying their hands with scum such as this?"

"Of course, Sir Regulus." Purpura respectfully responded. She wouldn't dare disagree with him, even if it did sound selfish. This was greed, and Purpura loved him for his good and bad qualities. "We must move quickly though. We stand out in this city, and we have other missions to attend to after this."

"Of course!" Regulus spoke cheerfully. Walking forward, Purpura opened the door for Regulus, who walked in with a brisk pace. Looking around, isles upon isles of benches greeted him. A tattered and torn carpet marked the middle of the room, at the end a large podium sat. Behind it, a wide cross overshadowed the room, signifying what exactly this place was. "Ah, a church? So this must be one of the many religious sects in the World Below. Truly, their ideals and beliefs seem similar to those in The World Above, yet differ by so much. Fascinating, is it not? It brings out my old theory that this world and ours are somehow connected other than just gate ways. If my theory is proven correct, then that would fill the many inconsistencies within each world."

"Ah, who are you?" A voice spoke up, interrupting Regulus's rant. Drawing their attention to the voice, both Regulus and Purpura took in the sight before them. Standing at an average height, was a woman. Covered in pure black from head to toe, she wore a cloak not that dissimilar to the Cults. She had brown hair hidden behind a dark habit. A cross connected to a necklace, signaling her as a believer of this faith.

"Oh, you must be a believer, no?" Regulus spoke, respect lacing his tongue. He didn't detest anyone for not believing in his faith, but actually encouraged believing in what you chose. To him, all the religions of the world were but theories for him to indulge in. He enjoyed hearing the stories of brave heroes and kings slaying the great evil and ruling the world in prosperity. While make believe, all stories held a form of resemblance to the past, present and future. It may not be realized, but it was to be.

"Yes, I am but a humble nun of this Church." She spoke, her warm smile enough to brighten the snobbiest of people. "Have you come hear to pray? Or confess your sins with our father?"

"No, not today sadly." Regulus said, waving away the notions. He may come back later to witness the reactions of the priest hearing his grievous sins. Well, if everything went as planned. "Today, we have come to question this Church for some wrongful misdeeds."

"Misdeeds?" The nun said, confused as to what she was talking about. Purpura smiled, deciding to take it from here.

"Yes, it appears someone within this Church holds some of our possessions." Purpura explained, lifting her cloak as an example. "Like, for instance, this Cloak my husband has lovingly gifted for me. Or the book that he humbly holds."

"I-I'm sorry, but I don't think we have something like this." The Nun apologized. Regulus couldn't help his lip from twitching slightly in irritation. It didn't matter if they were telling the truth, they were denying what was rightfully his. Stiffening his muscles, he continued to glare down the Nun.

"Are you sure? It would have looked just like this." Purpura elaborated, spinning in her uniform. The look the nun gave her was all the answer she needed. It may be regretful, but if they wouldn't give th-

"Sister?" Another voice spoke up. Looking over to where the voice was, Purpura and Regulus took in the sight of a small child curiously. Beaten and bruised, his hair was a greasy brown, and face of that of a child's. Obvious signs of malnourishment Was shown through his face and arms, neglect and abuse most likely the cause. To anyone else, this sight would have been heartbreaking. To Purpura and Regulus? This was business.

The child wore the cloak of Envy.

"Ah! See, he wears the cloak belonging to us!" Regulus pointed out, focusing on the nearing child. The Nun looked at them skeptically, unbelieving. It was reasonable, two strangers in strange clothing accuse you of thievery while placing the blame on a child? They must have been seen as insane. Well, that wasn't far from the truth, but still.

"I-I'm not sure what you're talking about, but I promise you this is not yours." The Nun insisted. As the Child walked up to her, he started tugged on her uniform, rubbing his eyes as fatigue clouded his vision. It was a cute sight to Purpura. A disgusting one for Regulus.

"Sister, I'm tired. Can you read me a story again?" The child asked, leaning tiredly on the Nun. Gently, she pushed the Child behind her, her motion as an obvious sign of protection.

"Not now, Siniy. Big Sis has important business to deal with right now." The Nun spoke, revealing that she wasn't a sister just in name but in blood too. "Run Away to Big Sis Vorona, she'll take good care of you."

"I think that may be unwise, dear Sister." Purpura said, smiling as kindly as she could. "That cloak is ours, and we kindly request you return it to us. I'm sure that if you were to look, our symbol would be embedded on the top of the hood, enough proof of our ownership." As if to give an example of her proof, Purpura pointed to the symbol in the style of an eye. This was the symbol of the Cult, and a warning to all that has seen it. 'The Witch sees all.'

"Even if this Cloak was originally yours, we have rightful ownership of it now." The Nun defied, ignoring the Child who continued to pull her uniform. His walls grew louder, gaining the ire of Regulus. "We have bought this and many others from a kind peddler who offered us a discounted price. We spent much on his wares, so we don't have much left."

"Peddler?" Regulus questioned, adopting a thoughtful expression. If what she said was true, then this was not good. Not good at all. A lot of Church items were very valuable and rare. Say, for example, the cloaks. While on the outside they may look like a simple piece of cloth, in reality were enhanced armor able to handle a simple steel sword. There were many more dangerous equipment than that, and if this peddler was selling them to places like this, then this world may slowly crumble to bits. "Not good at all, but that is an issue for the future. For now, I request that you return the cloak. If we have to, we will forcefully take it from you."

"Are you threatening me!?" The Nun asked, astonished that the man in front of her would do such a thing. "This is a place of God! If you do not leave the premise immediately, I will call the police to carry you to jail!"

"So I take it that you won't hand over the cloaks?" Regulus asked again. At her death glare, Regulus couldn't help but smile. Deep down, he was hoping for this. "Very well, in all honesty this makes it easier. Don't blame me for what happens next."

With a smile, a snap of his fingers, and a blink of an eye, the world was painted a dark crimson.

Out of the shadows, knifes cut through the air, tearing through their targets. Blood sprayed and splashed across the floor, like spilled ink. A gurgling sound escaped the Nuns throat as she tried to regain her footing. It was bound to fail, as she soon fell, her lifeless eyes wide with fear.

"Ah, this is truly horrible." Regulus said, wiping his face clean of blood. "She could have died with more grace. Spraying your bodily fluid's upon other people is just disgraceful." Turning around, Regulus turned to the boundless darkness in the room. Clapping his hands, every member of his group, Lusts, and Subaru's walked out from the shadows. As if practiced, or programmed, the cultist gathered in front of the smiling madman. "As you saw, negotiations have broke down! It's our job to clean up this mess! Kill every man, woman, and child in this building without hesitation! Consider this as a purging! Ah! And don't forget the cloaks! After this we shall burn the church to the ground!"

With that, the Cultists ran past him, going through the doorways that lead to who knows where. Faintly, he could hear the shrieks of surprise, thump of bodies, followed by silence as the building was thrashed. It didn't matter who resided here, or if they knew what they were dying for. To the Church, if you fail to comply you are guilty. The woman spoke for everyone in this building when she denied him.

Speaking of…

"Filthy Sow!" Regulus yelled, kicking the dead body. "How dare you back talk someone as great as I! I am the embodiment of everything that's right in the world! I am the giver of gifts! How dare a lowly whore like you think to defy someone as great as I!"(1)

Breathing in, Regulus gave one last kick before spitting on her corpse. It disgusted him to no end how people like that existed. They sit and pray, do nothing and expect everything to be handed to them on a silver platter. It didn't matter if they bought Cult items. The money was most likely from charity anyways, so it wasn't like this was truly hurting anyone.

Compared to the Cult, this Church was worthless. They strived for perfection, and worked for it. Not a day passed without the Cult moving along. No doubt, right mow, Betelgeuse was purging another Demi-Human village. Lust was slaughtering a neighboring Village. Gluttony was biding their time for their next meal. Wrath showing the world the true meaning of pain

It was beautiful.

"Filthy hags." Regulus spit. Now, all he had to do was just wa-

"Hck!"

What was that?

Looking over to where the sound came from, Regulus watched in amazement at the sight he saw. Crawling, Sobbing and swearing, was the Child in the cloak. A knife stuck the cloak to the ground, tearing the delicate fabric that took many, many hours to stitch. The child, weak and malnourished, pushed and pulled, doing his best to get out of the death trap. Tripping, he did his best to crawl to his sister, who laid slightly out of his reach.

Truly it was a pitiful sight.

"Shall I put him out of his misery?" Purpura asked, slightly hoping Regulus would agree. She may hold living things on the same level as bugs, but this was just a painful sight to look at. The boy couldn't even walk, much less pull himself out of this death trap.

"Hmm. I am surprised they missed him though." Regulus responded, ignoring the question. Scratching his head, he gave a weary sigh, stress eating at him. "You may do as you wish, Purpura."

With no hesitation, Purpura flung the knife to the child's head.

* * *

Other side of the Commercial District

A Few Hours Earlier

Subaru stood, his heart pounding as sweat poured down his face. Greedily, he took in mouthfuls of air like it was to be his last. Gripping his chest, he did his best to calm himself down. His enemy sat before him mockingly, taunting him as each second passed. This was not a battle he could win with brute force alone. Subaru needed to think; use the cunning mind of his to defeat his foe in one fell swoop.

Gripping his took, he moved in from the side doing his best to scrape away at the enemy. It seemed to work, as it pulled out avoiding his attacks. This would give him time to think of a strategy. This threat didn't deserve a half-assed approach. Subaru grimaced, realizing how terrifying this opponent truly was.

Subaru needed to calm down. Closing his eyes, he took great breaths, circulating the oxygen and carbon dioxide. Glaring, he prepared for the nex-

"Huh?" Subaru asked, half smiling as he felt himself burn up. Slowly, he felt a burning sensation similar to fire. A smoldering flame that scarred and spread through his body hungrily. "An after effect!?"

Subaru backed off, sweat continuing to poor down his face. 'I-I don't think I can fight this! I… I might just die today! No amount of resets can fix this mistake.'

Of course, who would dare stand up to a god?

"U-Um sir?" A voice broke him out of his fantasy. Looking in the direction of the nervous tune, he spotted a waitress doing her best to smile honestly. For most others it would have worked, which Subaru applauded, but he was trained to read false images. "Could you please quiet down, your disturbing the other customers."

Almost like it was programmed, the whole of the cafe turned to him, giving him death glares. Subaru swore he saw some of the eyes in the back glow a bright red. Truly, this worlds residents were much more frightening than The World Above.

"Ah, I'm sorry!" Subaru apologized, getting up from his seat. "While I would like to finish this, it appears I am short on time!" He said, reaching in his cloak and pulling out a Holy Coin. "Would this suffice?"

"Huh?" The waitress looked at him like he was stupid. "T-that kind of currency isn't accepted here. I'm sorry, but do you think you can pay in Lien?"

Subaru's reaction was instantaneous. Sweat poured down his face as he took on a look of absolute horror. A deep frown marred his features as he reached into his cloak. Shaking, he pulled out two more holy coins. Nervously, he smiled at the waitress. She smiled back, a smile that seemed to promise pain.

'How was the waitress so frightening!?' Subaru thought to himself as a cold sweat developed on his back. Never had he felt fear of this intensity before. Even near the great Sword Saint Reinhardt Subaru had no fear. Of course that was before joining the Witches Sect, but that was besides the point.

"Can I just pay with these three Holy Coins? I must admit, it may look worthless for you, but in Lugnica this would fetch a hefty price!" Subaru half offered, half begged. It was true though, these Holy Coins could indeed allow someone to live for months without any worries, so it wasn't like this was a bad deal.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not sure what this 'Lugnica' is." Her words were like a knife to the heart for Subaru. Grabbing the table, he forced himself to stand, unwilling to fall. This woman was good. "If you can't pay now, you could leave something important with us and get it back after you have finished paying the tab."

Those words turned from knifes to swords in an instant. Not only was he unable to pay the bill for the spicy meal, he was also being dragged along by the leash by this woman. Truly she had a way with words no other being could possess. Nervously, he reached into his pocket, retrieving another set of Holy Coins. Carefully he pushed them to her, nervous of the outcome of his predicament.

"I can't afford to leave any personal belongings with you, as I may be outlasted by my Church in doing so." Subaru revealed, the woman looking at him skeptically. Understandable, as he did appear to look like a shady character. "However, with this lay my Holy Coins, you would be able to live for years without worrying about leaving your house. Of course that is just where I'm from, and It is dearly valuable to me. Please take it as compensation for the meal."

The waitress, as skeptical as she was, wasn't that heartless as to immediately turn down the young man. She was an open-minded woman, and at times like these it took an open mind not to be a jerk. From the looks of the boys attire, he did look like he was affiliated to a church. Yet that could also just be a guise, his true self a cosplayer trying to weasel his way out of paying.

The waitress gave a sigh. Situations like these required a logical mind, but alas she was instead impulsive.

"Alright!" The Waitress said, grabbing the Holy Coins. Pocketing them, she gave Subaru a dashing smile. "I'll be taking these, but I'm only holding onto them! I want you to return and pay the full tab later, you understand!?"

"Certainly!" Subaru responded. Grabbing at where his heart would be, he straightened his back and gave a joyous smile. "I swear on my position as Archbishop of the Church, I will repay this kindness in full!"

"No, please just repay the tab." She responded, nervous at the boys antics. She watched as the boy left, smiling as he did so. She couldn't help but think, for some reason, it had been forced.

"What should I do now?" Subaru wondered aloud, walking the streets of Vale. Getting into the massive city had been a piece of cake, as no one had even noticed him enter. Security was extremely lax for one of the supposed dying kingdoms. Even if the natural barriers or the mountains surrounding Vale protected them from hardship, there were other threats besides Grimm out in this vast world. Subaru couldn't help but think that this negligence in protection would one day be their downfall.

Looking towards the towers in the distance, the sky a blood red from the setting sun, he had to wonder to himself how he got here. While he did enter the city from a different angle than Regulus, it was strange that he had meant to enter from where the towers were, he instead entered a sort of commercial center. It wasn't that big of a deal, but it was confusing for his sense of direction was never off.

It didn't really matter that much anyways. This town was through and through beautiful. Compared to the Capital of Lugnica, this looked like a more refined and polished version of that. Subaru had yet to even come across any slum dwellers, almost like the poor didn't exist. As if to this Kingdom it was foreign to them.

The buildings were magnificently built with the sole intention for convenience. The streets seemed to have been built with transportation in mind, as Dragonless carriages moved about the town. There seemed to also be a crossing section at every corner of the street, allowing pedestrians a chance to cross without any need for worry about being killed by the moving carriages.

This Kingdom was definitely a Kingdom of peace.

"Seriously, what should I do though?" Subaru thought aloud as he continued his mindless walk. Ever since Regulus left, he seemed to be lost. Not in the literal sense, more of a mental sense. He didn't know what to do, besides look for the Silver Eye's. That in itself was really difficult too due to the amount of people walking the streets. Many of them could have Silver Eye's and he wouldn't have even noticed. Also, which Silver Eye's should he follow? If there was more than one, that may cause a problem.

"Agh! I can't think straight like this!" Subaru groaned, messing with his hair. He needed somewhere to relax. To think over his predicament. That was when he spotted something of interest. Something that may or may not help clear his troubled mind.

"A park?" Yes, a park. Green leafs covered the walkway entrance, setting a scene of wonder and intrigue. The Red Sky, contrasted by the setting sun, made the entrance all that more welcoming.

Yeah a park might be perfect to clear his troubled mind.

Subaru never noticed, however, that three men watched as he entered. Sneering, they donned their makes of monster, ready to take their next prey.

* * *

She stunk. She didn't know where she was, she was tired and she stunk.

Ruby Rose wasn't having what you would call a great time. Today for that matter wasn't that great either, but she tried not to let it get to her. It had started like any other, wake up, eat, brush teeth and race Nora to class. Fine, right? Then after school it just went downhill.

It started with Team RWBY meeting in their room for a plan of action against the Faunus terrorist group known as "The White Fang." The White Fang was once not so malevolent, instead aiming for peaceful protest and boycotting's. Once upon a time, that was how that group operated. But as the times changes, so does figure heads and leaders. As with any new leaders, a new vision comes into play. Violent attacks, kidnappings, thievery, you name it. And it worked. The White Fang had slowly turned into a glorified gang that held power on a governmental level.

Now you might be asking yourself, what is a bunch of kids going to do about a terrorist organization such as this? The answer; well, nobody knew. On the insistence of Ruby Roses friend, Blake Belladonna, the team had came together to come up with a plan of action. The over all consensus of that meeting was that everyone would split up and look for information about The White Fang.

Ruby was unsure how her other friends were doing, but she knew she herself had spectacularly failed in that regard.

Having found a friend that had been missing, she chased after her on an impulse. It didn't take that long to find her, nor convince her to tell her what was wrong. In fact, it was as if she was yearning to tell the young Rose.

Ended up, surprisingly, her friend was a freaking robot.

That in itself was surprising, but her friends dilemma was almost as equally surprising. Penny Polendina had questioned her very own existence. Call it cliché, or whatever, but the fact was that this was a serious matter. If she herself didn't believe her friend was alive, then who would?

So Ruby gave her honest opinion on the matter. She spoke about how Penny was indeed real; alive.

The reception was mixed. The death hug she gave followed by a thousand thank you's sent a good signal, but being thrown in the dumpster sent a bad signal. Ruby understood why Penny decided to throw her in the dumpster, but it didn't make it any less unpleasant.

"Dang it Penny! You could have at least let me run instead of throwing me in the dumpster!" Ruby complained as she pulled out another piece of garbage from her shoe. How it got in there was beyond her, but it didn't really matter. Ruby still couldn't help but smile at the thought of Penny's smile. She seemed so happy to know that Ruby saw her as no different than a human.

Putting her boot back on, Ruby gave her surroundings a look around. After she was thrown away like old stew she had wandered aimlessly for somewhere quiet. Embarrassingly, those she had passed had given her odd look, basically broadcasting how bad she stunk. Ruby wasn't the vengeful type, but the more that people stared, the more she thought about pouring spaghetti on Penny.

The place she ended up was filled with the green of summer. The light of the sun colored the world around her a darken red and orange. Green leafs covered the walkway, making the path obscure and difficult to read. A fountain rested itself to the right of her, water pouring endlessly in a infinite loop.

"A park?" Ruby questioned herself. It wasn't like she disliked these kinds of places, but it was just odd. She was never one to fully take in the scenery of… anything really. She was always a 'Seen it once, seen it enough' type of person. Never really looking at things twice as there was no need too. So a park would be the last place she would ever venture too, much less step foot in.

Getting up, she decided to go against that tradition. Ruby had nothing better to do besides explore anyways. Well, besides look for information on the White Fang, but she didn't even know where to start on that. There was also no doubt Blake had already found some juicy details, so all she really had to do was wait around for the meet up time.

Walking along the pathway, she couldn't help but notice the lack of people in the area. If she remembered correctly, parks were supposed to be a sort of social hub, where families and friends alike gathered and partied. Kids running about without a care in the world. Grandma and Grandpas watching them as they frolic about, and parents cherishing the memories of old. If that was true, then why was there no one here?

"Hey, prick! Wait up!" Ruby squeaked, surprised by the sudden voice. Looking around, she tried to spot the owner of the voice. As time passed, Ruby thought she was just hearing things. "Prick! I said wait up!"

"Huh? Are you speaking with me?" Another voice questioned, confused. Ruby was now sure that she wasn't hearing things. Following the sound of footsteps, Ruby spotted four men. They all wore attire that made them stand out, but only one of them truly stood out from the rest. He wore a dark cloak, the insides an orange color. The hems of the cloak looked torn and tattered, almost as if it had been through a battlefield. His back was turned to her, so she wasn't able to see his face, but his hair was a dark black, sticking up from the angle she stood. The other three looked normal enough, except for one crucial detail that caused them to stand out from the crowd.

"Grimm Masks!" Ruby whispered to herself. This was not good. Not good at all. If they all attacked the dark one, then he was liable to get severely injured. Gripping Crecent Rose, Ruby prepared herself to go all out on these men.

"Yeah, we're talking to you!" Fang one said, pushing the dark one back. "Where the hell do you think you are!?"

"The park?" The dark one responded, confused as to why he was asked such a dumb question. The Fangs looked at each other, before laughing hysterically. This only served to confuse the poor dark haired one.

"Oh, that was a good one!" Fang two said, wiping away a nonexistent tear. "You gotta be a comedian man, you'd make a killing!"

"Awe, thanks man!" The dark one replied good naturedly, his formal speech having been dropped in favor for a light hearted one, the threat flying right over his head. Scratching the back of his neck, he looked at Fang One. "You know, I've been trying to become a comedian myself. I'm not really good with crowds though, so I'd need to work on that."

"No, I'm sure you'd be fine." Ruby whispered. She didn't know why she hadn't made her move yet, as she was gripping Crescent Rose with an iron fist. Her legs shook in anticipation, but her body did not move. It was frustrating.

"Enough with the jokes." Fang Three said, having enough of this trivial chatter. "You know where you are, right? The park, and you know who owns the park?"

"The Government?" The Dark One answered, angering the Fangs even more. Walking up to the Dark One, The Fang grabbed his shoulder, trying to intimidate him. If Ruby was in that position, she knew she would be a little nervous due to his ginormous size. She couldn't imagine the fear that the Dark One held.

"No, this is White Fang territory. And we White Fang don't like it when people, especially humans like you, walk on our territory." Fang Three explained. It seemed the Dark One was deep in thought, as all he did was look down, unresponsive. But five seconds passed before he snapped his fingers.

"So you're the White Fang?" Dark One questioned, to which the Fangs confirmed. Thinking some more, the Dark One nodded his head. "And this is your territory?" Another round of 'Yes' made their way through the crowd. Thinking some more, the Dark One nodded his head. "Alright, I'll leave. I don't want any unnecessary violence."

"Good, now if only there were more humans like you, we would have world peace!" Fang one said, willing to let the Dark One go. Fangs two and three seemed to look at each other, a conversation taking place by just a look.

"Actually, I think this guy needs to be roughed up a bit!" Fang Two said, causing Ruby to stiffen. She didn't know why she thought they would let him go unharmed. Every encounter she had with The White Fang seemed to disappoint her even more.

"Yeah! This prick needs a lesson in respect!" Three said as he spit at the ground where the Dark One stood. He seemed to be disgusted if his reaction was anything to go by.

"Dibs!" Without warning, Fang Two threw his fist out at the Dark One. Gasping in surprise, Ruby unfolded Crescent Rose, ready to defend the defenseless man.

Well, that was until the Fang was knocked back, a black claw hanging over the man's shoulder before disappearing. Ruby stopped, watching as the injured Fang held his face, screaming on the ground. If he wasn't such a massive jerk, she would have felt pity for the man, but as it stands she didn't even spare him a glace. Instead, she stared in wonder at the Dark One, who calmly picked his ear, like nothing happened.

"W-What the hell did you do!?" Fang One yelled, grabbing hold of Two. As he moved Two's hands away, he got a good look at the broken nose left by the Dark One. "You broke his nose, you prick!"

"I don't know what your talking about." The Dark One said, putting his hands in his pockets. He seemed extremely laid back for the situation his was in. "He broke his own nose. Besides, he attacked me first, this is just self defense."

"Bull crap he broke his own nose!" The biggest of the group, Three, yelled as he cracked his knuckles. To a normal human this man may be intimidating, but Ruby had a feeling The Dark One didn't even see him as a threat. "I'm gonna teach you a lesson! A lesson in pain!"

With that, the Fang threw a punch at the man. Instead of dodging or blocking though, another 'Hand' appeared and deflected his punch to the side. As that hand deflected, another uppercut the giant, knocking him out.

"Enough with that cliché pain thing. Grunts like you don't have the right to talk like that." Dark One spit, shifting the 'Hands' near him before they disappeared all together.

Ruby was sure now, there were black appendages that appeared whenever someone got near him. At first, Ruby thought she was just seeing things, but with this she knew her eyes hadn't deceived her. Instead of being afraid or disgusted by its figure, all she could think if is how cool it looked. With sharp claws and purple mist surrounding it, the way it disappeared without a trace, it looked just like a magic trick!

"Y-You monster!" One yelled as he grabbed the giant by the arm and lifted him over his shoulder. Two, nose still bleeding heavily, followed ones example. With a heave, both of the Fangs ran, almost like their life depended on it. As they vanished from sight, the Dark One gave a great sigh and a shake of his head.

"That didn't help with mine at all." He said, scratching his head as he turned around. He stopped however as he spotted her, standing stock still. This gave her a good chance to look at his face. If she was to describe it in one word, it would be 'Scary.' It wasn't as an insult either, as he looked genuinely scary. The dark cloak, creepy hands and sinister eyes just screamed bad guy. She wasn't going to let his appearance be the judge of that though, as he did wait until the Fangs attacked to attack back. Besides, if she judged by looks, what would that make Penny? "Ah, hello? Um, I'm sorry if I look frightening, I've been told I look like a bad guy before. Don't worry though, I don't hurt random people! Only those who deserve it!"

"N-no! I-I wasn't thinking anything like that!" Ruby defended, trying to hide the growing blush on her face. Not only was what she thought rude, he had guessed it perfectly. By the haughty laugh he gave, she could tell he didn't believe her. "A-Anyways, what was that cool looking claw thing!?"

"Huh?" The man asked confused. By the look on his face, he genuinely believed he didn't hear correctly. This made Ruby question if she has really saw them. "What did you say? I'm sure I heard you wrong."

"The claw! You know, the thing that you used to beat those White Fang guys to a pulp!" Ruby said, exaggerating her movements. The man stared at her, unbelieving, but Ruby didn't notice, too enthralled by her own antics. "It was all 'Vroooooom' and when you punched them it made a 'Snap' sound! It was so cool! Can you do it again!?"

"W-wait!" The guy said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Sighing, he held out his hand, and with a deep breath, he brought out the purple claw again. It floated briefly before giving her a wave. "You can see this?"

"Oh! This is so cool!" Ruby squealed in delight, jumping for the waving appendage. Grabbing it, she couldn't help herself from looking it over. "Hey, hey! Is this your aura!? I mean, your semblance! Are you able to create more than two!? What about your weapon? You have to have a weapon, right!? Wait, you gotta be a hunter! There's no way a regular person could beat the White Fang like you did!"

"U-Um?" The boy nervously replied. As soon as he spoke up, Ruby froze and jumped back. Ruby internally grimaced at what she had just done, letting her love for the unknown take over. Usually she wasn't this excited about anything, other than weapons of course. Seeing something like this was just as intriguing to her as weapons it seemed.

"I'm so sorry!" Ruby apologized, trying to conceal her embarrassment by hiding her face with a deep bow. "I didn't mean to grab your hand like that! I just got really excited and I couldn't control myself!"

"A-Ah! No it's totally fine!" The man said, freaking out as much as her. "I-I was just surprised is all! You can still look at it if you want!"

"N-No it's fine! I already got a good look!" Ruby insisted, straightening her back as she waved her hands back and forth.

"N-No! I insist!" He said as formed two claws, both hanging loosely over his shoulder. Ruby watched them diligently, but held back. It was already awkward as it was. If she broke out into a mad spiral over two claws, then it would just increase the awkwardness.

After a moment passed with neither doing anything, the man put the claws away. Laughing awkwardly, he scratched the back of his neck. Ruby coughed nervously, unsure what to do in this situation. Was she supposed to leave it at that and walk away? No, that seemed rude. What if she acted like she wanted to be friends, then they slowly became friends? No, that wouldn't work, this was a stranger, not a student of Beacon.

"Ah-!" The man spoke, startling Ruby. Looking up, the man seemed to be surprised. His mouth hung agape as he looked at her, his fingers trembling. His eyes seem to widen, before they relaxed. His whole body followed suit, his body stiffening. "Eyes-"

"Eyes?" Ruby asked questioningly. At her response he seemed to snap to attention. Shaking his head, he slapped his cheeks, worrying Ruby further. His whole behavior having been a rollercoaster until now.

"I'm sorry, it's just been one surprise after the other." The man apologized, relaxing himself as he laid his hands behind his head. He gave her his most natural grin, his teeth a sparkling white. "My name is Subaru Natsuki, the Archbishop of my Sect. May I inquire as to yours?"

His speech was formal, which bothered her for some strange reason. Maybe it was because of the fact that not just a second ago he was a flustered mess as she. It just didn't feel right having someone switch tunes like that just to appease someone.

"I am Ruby Rose, student of Beacon Academy." Ruby flinched.

Why did she use such a formal tone?

Subaru seemed to wince, sniffing the air curiously. With a grimace of pain, he doubled back, coughing repeatedly in an attempt to breathe. Ruby started freaking out, believing something to be extremely wrong. Scenarios of possible closures ran through her head, all leading to Subaru's untimely demise. This only seemed to stress Ruby even more.

"W-What… is that awful smell!?" Subaru choked, being brought to his knees. Ruby stopped, backing away nervously. She gave a nervous chuckle, looking away from Subaru's downed figure.

"Hahaha… about that… god dang it Penny."

* * *

"So that's why you stink so bad!?" Subaru keeled over, laughing at the expense of the young Rose. Ruby in response blushed and laughed a little at her own misfortune. Putting it into perspective, it sounded really comedic from a outside view. She was just happy he didn't make her feel uncomfortable by constantly complaining about it, but instead just laughed it off. "I-I'm sorry, but this is way too good! I-I haven't laughed this hard in a long time!"

"Ha Ha Ha! Laugh now, but when you have to pull a banana peel from your boot, I'll be the one laughing!" Ruby laughed, Subaru laughing with her. He wasn't sure why he found this so funny, but he just did. Maybe it was because his mind felt clear now that he found the Silver Eye's. Subaru laughed in glee that he found an objective to keep his mind busy, and not just to wander aimlessly. As the laughter died down, Ruby swung her feet on the bench they sat on. "Hey, this has been bothering me, but are you a hunter?"

Subaru calmed down his laughter, leaving just the few chuckles of giddiness every now and then.

"Hunter?" Subaru said, laughing a little afterwards. Breathing in, he calmed his breathing so he wasn't unnecessarily breathing. Putting his hand on his on his chin in thought. "Hm. I have hunted deer and other animals on my way to Vale, but no, I wouldn't consider myself a 'Hunter.'"

"What?" Ruby asked, confused. What was he talking about? "No, that wasn't what I was talking about. I mean Grimm Hunters. Monster Hunters! Like the ones in books and movies!"

The look Subaru gave Ruby was all the answer she needed. In shock, she couldn't help but reel back. It couldn't be that Subaru had never heard of Hunters before! They were a central part of modern society. If he hadn't heard or hunters, then he must have been living under a rock for most of his life.

"You really don't know what Hunters are?" Ruby asked, astonished by Subaru's affirmative answer. What kind of life did he lead up until now not to know something as simple as this. "How do you not know what Hunters are!?"

"Haha- Well… I'm not exactly from around here." Subaru responded nervously. He wasn't very good at picking up social cues, but even he could tell by the look she gave she didn't believe him.

"Everyone knows what Hunters are! Even Jaune knew what Hunters are and he lived on a farm!" Ruby yelled, astonished he didn't know. If this was any other topic, Ruby would have been to nervous to tell at a stranger he just met, but this was something that involved her dream. "How do you not know who they are!?"

"Hahaha! Well, about that…" Subaru nervously pointed upwards, causing the girl to curiously look upwards. All she saw was the dark sky, the Moon of Remnant broken and shattered, hanging above them in a sinister gaze. "I'm from The World Above."

"You're from the moon!?" Ruby questioned in disbelief. Subaru just face palmed, his cool (in his mind) revelation being stepped on in but a sentence.

"No! I'm from the Country of Lugnica! From the floating Continent lazily called 'The World Above'!" Subaru explained to Ruby, as she crowned a thoughtful expression. Subaru would have thought people would have learned about their world by now. It wasn't like they were even trying to keep themselves secret either. Heck, they were pretty open about it Last time they (Knights of Lugnica) were here.

Ruby took this time to think of exactly where she had heard the word 'Lugnica' before. A normal person would have just swiped this under the rug, but Ruby wasn't a normal person. The name Lugnica rung a very, very important bell in her head. She didn't know why, nor where, but she swore she had heard that name before. Slowly, she narrowed down her list. She didn't hear it from her friends at Beacon, nor from those in Patch. She definitely didn't hear it from some stranger she just met. That just left her family. Ruby felt like she and Yang had argued about this before, and she cried about it to her dad before. With a snap of her fingers, she instantly remembered what Lugnica was. Snapping her head to the ever growing nervousness that was Subaru, she couldn't help but grin cheerfully.

"You're from Lugnica!?" Ruby asked loudly. Subaru gave a hesitant nod, unsure if he should actually tell her. With the giddiness of a child, she sprung from her seat, jumping in the air in excitement. "You're from the Kingdom in the Sky! The Magical World of Lugnica! I can't believe it!" She stopped jumping, moving to dancing on the tips of her toes. "I argued with Yang and Weiss for hours about this! I knew it was real! I knew it!" Ruby stopped as she leaned into Subaru, who leaned back in response. "You have to tell me! What's it like up there!? Uncle Qrow told me there were animal people there, Knights and Princesses! Oh, it sounds so romantic! Knights saving princesses, princesses ruling a country! Oo-h Blake is going to love this!"

As Ruby trailed on with her rant, Subaru couldn't help but nitpick certain details out from her excited gibberish. Specifically, the detail about whether Lugnica was real or not. That greatly disturbed Subaru, as that was a detail that The World Above tried venomously to get across to The World Below. Subaru had believed it had all worked out, but apparently he was extremely mistaken. If a commoner like this girl didn't know they existed as a common fact, who's to say that no one else thought the same? They could have been written off as common myths.

"Well, the gates have been pretty strict until now." Subaru theorized. There were multiple way to arrive to The World Below, and the most common and practical ones were the gates. Gates were giant portals, manned by armed guards of either continent. The use of these gates were expensive, and only the wealthy were able to activate them. Recently though, a Kararagi merchant was able to lessen the volume of magic needed to transport beings, while allowing more than one to enter at a time. It was still expensive, but not as much.

"Hey, Hey!" Ruby called, catching the attention of the wandering Subaru. "Are you a Knight!? You said you were from Lugnica, so you have to be a Knight! I bet you're hear on a epic quest to save the world, right!?"

Subaru laughed nervously. By all mean, Subaru was not a Knight. A Knight upheld the law and fought for justice in the world. A Knight didn't kill pregnant woman and their children in their sleep. A Knight didn't plan and scheme behind closed doors on what Demi-Human village they should purge next. A Knight was good.

Subaru was bad.

"I-I guess you could say that!" Subaru laughed nervously, lying through his teeth. Subaru disliked lying, heavily so, but he had a feeling that if he spoke of his true self he would be outcast. That and Ruby seemed really happy at his response. "Y-Yeah, I am a Knight (to an extent)."

As if a lid on a cap had been open, Ruby started mouthing off question after question. Words flew as Subaru's head spun. Truly, this girls excitement showed no bounds. With each question, Subaru felt his heart drop a little at the knowledge that he wasn't a Knight.

"W-Wait!" Subaru said, stopping the rabid Ruby. "I can answer all your questions later, but you never told me what a hunter was!"

"Oh!" Ruby squeaked. She didn't mind telling him more about hunters, because that's as cool of a topic as Lugnica anyways. "Yeah, I could tell you that! Hunters are basically Superheroes who fight Grimm! They defend the weak from the strong and basically do a ton of superhero things!" Ruby tersely explained. Reaching into her skirt pocket, she pulled out her wallet and took her ID out. "See! I'm an official Huntress in training! Isn't that cool!?"

"Y-Yeah…" Subaru responded, trying to sound as enthusiastic as she did. It ended up coming out sounding half assed, as compared to Ruby's enthusiasm, his just sounded plain. It also didn't hurt that Hunters sounded more and more like the Knights of Lugnica. "So Hunters are basically like Knights of this world?"

"Yep!" Ruby said, nodding in excitement. "Hunters always save the day! No matter how dark or how evil are enemy is, they will always save the day! You can count on us!"

"Ha! Really, you do sound like a Certain Knight I kn-"

"Ruby! It's time to move!"

Surprised, both looked up in the trees as they saw a brief flash dash across the night sky. Wearing mostly all white and black pants, a girl crossed their vision. While Subaru remained astounded and surprised, Ruby instantly recognized who that was.

"Blake!" Ruby yelled in glee. Why was she running though? Was there something coming?

"Why does it always have to be me!?" Another voice cried as he jumped into view. A blonde, ripped to the bone (Subaru detested that) and with a yellow monkey tail cried visible tears as he flew across the sky to the next tree.

'Does everyone have the ability to jump across great distances!?' Thought to himself, jealousy growing in his stomach.

"That was Blake and Sun, but why were they running?" Ruby thought to herself again. There isn't much in this world that would make two hunters run for their lives. Even Roman Torchwick, able to fight off multiple Hunters at once, wasn't that much of a threat to make them run. Whatever it was, it had to be big to scare them off like that.

As if to answer that question, a giant metal foot almost crushed Subaru.

Both Ruby and Subaru stopped what they were doing, holding their breath as the metal boot picked itself up and ran along. A thunder clap of metal and earth resounding in the nearly silent park. Ruby, who was watching Subaru when the boot fell, couldn't help but drop her jaw. Subaru, who was almost killed by a metal boot, shook in his own.

"S-S-Subaru!" Ruby stuttered, the shock of almost seeing someone die frightening her. "A-A-Are you a-alright!?"

"Y-Y-Y-Yeah!" Subaru stuttered, almost having a death by squish. He had never experience that kind of death, and he didn't want to. "I-I-I'm fine! W-what was that though!?"

"I-I don't know!?" Ruby responded, truly unsure. Taking out Crescent Rose (Subaru blanched at the enormous scythe), Ruby jumped on the balls of her feet. "I'm not sure what that was, but I need to go! It was fun talking to you!"

"Ah, wait!" But it was already too late. In a flood of roses, Ruby Rose was gone. A trail of Roses left behind as a blob of crimson escaped to the distance, leaving Subaru in a shocked mess. "Why does everybody have such cool powers!?"

With a sigh, Subaru sat back down. He was able to find the Silver Eye's, who's name ended up being Ruby Rose. Admittedly, she was an enjoyable kid to be around, if only a little awkward. She seemed to jump between excitement and childlike curiosity with a blink of an eye. Her personality seemed extremely innocent, as she believed every word he spoke. Even if this world was skeptical of his existence, she believed it without a second doubt, where as anyone else would treat him like an insane man.

"I just wonder how she is going to lead me to my desire?" Subaru thought aloud. He felt bad for using a girl like this, but if Regulus selflessly urged him to find her, then he will and use her as such. He was Pride. There was no need to worry about the opinions of others.

With a weary sigh, he stood up. There was no reason to stay here anymore. If anything, he needed to find Ruby Rose and use her. The Gospel didn't specify what he should do once finding the Silver Eye's, but he would at least stay by her until he realized his desire.

"CULTIST!"

Well, that would have been the plan anyways. With a loud crack, the ground cracked and shattered but a mere ten feet from Subaru's left. With an unsurprised glance, he looked at the man who landed there, growling like a savage beast. Covered in white, with the mask resembling those of the men before, the man stood, his hands shaking in unkempt rage. Flaring his teeth, Subaru took in the sharpness of each tooth the blonde man held. "CULTIST!"

Subaru flinched. He had a feeling this was going to be a tough fight.

'I hope you're faring better than me, Regulus.'

* * *

Regulus

Present Time

How did she miss her mark?

That question repeated in her mind countless times in Purpura's head. Each time, it was left unanswered. A never ending cycle of questions and unsolved consensus. Her head throb at the sight, of the blood that pooled under his body, yet was not his. There was no knife in his body. There was gaping wound that not even Ferris the Healer could heal. But that didn't matter, what mattered was why?

Why was this kid still alive?

"Purpura?" Regulus questioned, staring at her worriedly. Never had the woman missed her mark. Today should have been no exception, yet here it was. Two inches from the shocked child's head laid the Cults signature weapon, a dagger that could be used as a small sword. "Are you okay, Purpura? If you want, I can cleave him in two for you. It can be over in an instant or agonizing pain. I'll allow you to choose."

"No, it's fine, honey." Purpura shakenly said. Was this a side effect of Regulus's abilities? Was her time slowly nearing the more he used his ability? Regulus was careful not to use it too much, but it had already been a month. They would need to spend their time after this sparingly. "I won't miss this next strike."

Regulus stayed silent, very uncharacteristic of him. He always had a response to everything even if it was unkind. That was probably one of the reason Purpura loved him so much. He always spoke his mind truthfully, never with hesitation. Unlike all the suitors of the past, it was her kidnapper that treated her like she was. A spoiled princess.

Breathing in, she swung the dagger. It sailed through the air, cutting and singing as it danced between the space of her and the child. She was sure, this time it would hit her target.

"No!" A frantic scream resounded. The thump of heavy feet passed her with haste. Faster than the dagger, and with more grace than a deer. Picking up the child, the intruder jumped in the air, landing on top of the cross. As the intruder straightened herself, she took in the sight of the girl in neon. Black, gray and neon green clashed together to form the thing she called a outfit. Orange hair was pulled neatly together to form, the admittedly, beautiful bowl she called hair. "What are you doing!?"

"None of your concern, child." Purpura spit bitterly. Why did this girl have to go and make her look bad in front if her husband? It was unacceptable. "I'm sure you already know this, but since you saw what has happened here, you must die. Truly, regretful but I shall cherish your death."

"Why are you doing this!?" The girl yelled, obvious pain in her voice. Purpura smiled at this. If this girl was a combatant then she would be undoubtedly would be shaken by what she saw. This would make the coming battle that much easier for her.

"It is just business. Business that you yourself have decided to step into." Purpura took out eight knives, each hung between her fingers. She grinned at the girl. "Now, let me offer your blood to my husband. It's the least you can do for making me look bad." She pulled back her arms, ready for the barrage she was about to unleash. "Now, will you submit quietly, or die fighting?"

There was no vocal answer. With a glare that could kill God's, the girl atop the cross raised her arms. Swords, as if rising from a higher level of existence, positioned themselves around the young girl. It would be hard to lie about not being intimidated by what Purpuru bore witness to. The girl, who seemed so weak, looked like a god looking down in her unworthy sinners. A glowing eye pierced the Vale of darkness that was Purpuru's soul. Judging and tormenting, yet untouched.

Purpuru smiled. This would be a night to remember for sure.

* * *

First, **sorry for the nun scene. I know some people get offended or upset at that. Secondly, I might never write 38 pages again. Ever.**

1) **This is how Regulus really acts in Canon. I've held this off because I didn't want it just being him yelling at everyone every second. It would have been interesting honestly, but his character would just be annoying.**

 _Story Rant_

Ok, **if you can't tell, I have a long way to go before I can write perfectly. While rereading this chapter, I came across some issues that have bothered me. One being the characters, the second the writing, and thirdly the pacing.**

First **is the characters. Out of all the characters, I feel like only two were truly ever in character. One being Subaru, the other being Penny. Ruby felt off at times for me, which I will remedy by using her more, and Regulus was being selfless, which was actually the point of this chapter. So I think I did moderate.**

Now **the writing. Rereading it, I actually felt content with it. It's only when I came upon Penny's part where I realized how subpar everything was compared to it. Penny's part was detailed, to the point, and expressed her thoughts on her role in this world. More on that later.**

Thirdly, **the pacing. I'm not sure, but while writing this it feels like I'm going at a snails pace. While reading on the other hand feels like I'm going at a rockets pace. I read slow, adding in expressions and emotions to each word I read, so when reading like that it's fun. Reading fast just feels… fast.**

So **I wanna know, should I put in more detail to each chapter and draw out future arcs and fights? I sorta need to know this for a more enjoyable experience.**

Ok, **so for those who haven't noticed, I put a lot of symbolism and opposition in this chapter. Mostly in Regulus and Penny. Penny, who is made of steel and plastic, feels like she isn't really alive in this world. She is a robot with a heart, and emotions, and cares for those of this world. Regulus on the other hand could be described as the complete opposite. Regulus is made of blood and bone, believing himself to be the perfect being, that he was made specifically for this world. That no one besides him matters. Do you see where I'm going with this?**

This **difference in emotions and behavior will contrast in the fight next chapter. The fight will be as much as a psychological one as it is physical.**

Plus **I think the Robot atop gods cross looks cool.**

That's **about it for the story rant. Thanks for listening!**

One **last question. Due to the amount of villains in each series being so limited, would it be fine to bring in Villains from other series? It won't become a jumbled mess, but without a threat this story will just become a slice of life comedy shig. Well, I am trying to amplify everyone's problems, like Penny's situation, but I'm unsure how well I can work that out. I won't do any of this unless I'm 100% sure I can pull it off.**

 _Personal Rant_

Well, **I'm happy that this fic has received positive opinions. I know the first chapter was slow, but I was doing my best to set the stage for things to come. I honestly wanted to show Subaru around some more, but I also want to show people what this fic is all about in just three chapters.**

I **already showed that I can set up a sort of plotline reasonably. I showed that I can express characters worries and different traits. Next chapter In going to try to prove t that I can detail fight scenes well. That I will definitely have trouble with, as I am not good with back and forth combat or battle tactics. I will do my best though. Future chapters will deal with resolving character plights and traumas.**

Wish **me luck!**

Btw, **If anyone has ideas, please don't hesitate to leave them. While I have most arcs and chapter planned out, I am but one boy. I might not necessarily use said ideas, but if able, it would allow me to create new ideas and arcs!**

 _Reviews_

Reviewr524\- **Honestly I hope it is. It would be horrible if I was just writing this and everyone thought it was mundane and boring. Thank you for dropping by though!**

.73\- **Oh, if your looking for that, you'll love future arcs. I still need to plan out how I'm going to deal with that though. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make the RWBY characters come out alive unless I seriously nerf the Archbishops or remove them entirely. Glad to see you around man.**

Guest\- **Thank you! You don't know how glad that makes me! And I'll be sure to keep the content fresh so it doesn't die or get to a point where I'll abandon it.**


	3. The Battle of Two Fronts

**I can practically hear the people clicking off after reading this.**

 **Anyways, welcome to the second to final chapter of Arc 1! It was pretty short, but this was a introduction! To all of those who reviewed and Followed and Favorited so far; Thank You! You don't know how much it makes me glad someone wants to see this continue! Thank you! Also, because of you we're three Follows and Favorites off from passing up One Bizarre Adventure! I hope I don't fail anyone. (God I sound cliché)**

 **I hate yet love writing fight scenes. I hope I live up to expectations. Btw, anybody who wants a fix that loosely follows the story of Re Zero and likes Superheroes should check out Batman X Re:Zero. I haven't read all of it yet, seeing as I try to avoid reading so I don't feel tempted to steal ideas, but from what I read it was good. Good luck Roger!**

 **I tend to respond to all reviews at the bottom. Really appreciate it guys and girls!**

 **P.S. I added in character stats and World Encyclopedia at the bottom.**

* * *

Vale

Unknown District

Thirty minutes ago

When the people of the World think of their home, Remnant, they don't think of the vast landscapes, the sprawling seas, or the thundering mountains; they think of the Monsters that wait outside their door. Fearful and apprehensive, the world of man hid themselves behind walls of steel, trying their best to block the noise of the monster banging on their door. And with fear, came opportunists. Criminals from all walks of life gathered to form gangs, mafia's and whatever other slang you could think of. These gangs didn't care who they picked on. Man, Woman or Child, even the elderly were picked on if they hadn't paid their due. To them, it was business, not a luxury.

Out of this pit of crime and hate rose a few prominent figures and groups. While many groups fell under their peers, one if these groups just so happened to upgrade themselves from street rat punks to Terrorist Watch in a matter of years. This group, which claimed they fought for Faunus rights, had terrorized the whole world from top to bottom. Not one piece of Remnant went untouched as they pillaged and raped the countries to its bone.

This caused a number of things to occur. One of the more positive outcomes were that Faunus were now seen as equals, if only by fear alone. But to every positive in the world, there must be an equal negative. While Faunus had gained the respect and dignity they had claimed they deserved, Humans hatred towards these beings have only festered. Fights between races have become common place in the world of Remnant. Killings, muggings, and of course kidnappings. Each group bit and chew at each other, taking bites out of each other like it had become out of style. With this, their needed to be a group to combat the growing Faunus threat.

That came in the form of the Witch Cult.

The people of Remnant knew them by a different name however, 'The Black Fang.' Extremely unoriginal, right? But it fit them perfectly. Each member of the group dressed in the complete opposite of the of the White Fang. While the White Fang clung to their White and Red color scheme, donning armor made of the bone of Grimm, The Black Fang chose a more modest uniform to harness. Instead of Grimm masks, they chose from a wide array of animal skulls, a mockery to Faunus, and simple hoods. Instead of White armor or white clothing, they chose from dark cloaks and robes.

Of course, the wide variety for the Black Fang wasn't intentional. You see, as the group grew more and more in size, The Black Fang started using different masks and uniforms to signify their position. Behind the scenes, the Witch Cult had taken notice of this, causing some of the Archbishops of Sin to take action, namely Sloth. Sloth, the ever loving radical, set fire to Black Fang outposts across Mistral as a warning. Of course, The Black Fang, being a splinter group to the Cult, retaliated in kind. Without the notice of the public's eye, The Black Fang and The Witch Cult had a civil war. Blood covered the already stained streets of Remnant, and in the end, neither won.

The Black Fang and The Witch Cult both suffered major casualties. In a shocking twist, The Witch Cult held a hand of peace. As one would expect, The Black Fang hesitated, before finally shaking the hands of their creators. There was no back stab, as Betelgeuse declared this peace was by orders of the Witch herself. Instead of molding back into each other though, The Black Fang operated separate of the Cult. Even with this, their peace didn't shake, and life went on as it should. However, even separated, the Black Fang knelt to the Archbishops of Sin. If ever called upon, they would be there as needed.

Through all of this, only one man truly benefited from this bloodshed. From The White Fang fighting The Black Fang, to the slaughter of friends between Black and Witch, only one man saw a chance to capitalize on their mistrust and hate. To gain wealth and work his way up the latter of the underground world. A legend in the eyes of the underground, the man who cut a straight path of blood and tears. It didn't matter what stood in his way, for he would always be on top.

"So why is it that I am a lackey for a girl who is hardly ever here!?" Roman Torchwick yelled as he kicked a box near him. The groan of metal within resounded in the warehouse as White Fang members curiously looked at the distraction before resuming work. It annoyed him to no end how a man of his caliber was running errands for a girl twice as young as him. Plus the fact that she was never present for anything they did, making it all the more irritating. "On second thought, no, thank Dust she's never here. Her face is too annoying for me to get work done."

Truly, Roman Torchwick hated this gig. He hated the way everyone snuck behind each others backs and silently stabbed each other without anybody noticing. He hated the ever present air of animosity that hung around the White Fang grunts as he passed by to inspect their work. Roman missed the days when his men would greet him, not with hostility, but with respect. It felt like it was just yesterday he was dealing with a set of new recruits, fear running through their veins as Roman gave them a yelling. Ah, those were the days. Even if they were goons looking to stab you, they at least stabbed you from the front.

"Hoo~. At least she pays well." Roman admitted, passing a few grunts training together. He had a few comments on that, but saved it for later.

That was a positive to this crap gig of his. This little girl paid extremely well compared to his other associates. There was also no twist in her words too, making her at least a trustworthy accomplice. Well, except for the fact that she never told him anything of what they were doing this for. All she ever responded with was "You will know when the time comes. For now, work needs to be done, Torchwick." Which was acceptable. 'If you want to be melodramatic about everything, go ahead. Don't complain when your subordinates get lazy and complain about the work!'

So what does she do when Roman does everything she asks, and misses one tiny detail? Complain. Oh the mouth that girl has for words. And that wasn't even a compliment. Cinder didn't take failure nor negligence very well at all. Constant death threats and the occasional lashing out of Cinder had made him come to detest her. If it wasn't for the money or the promise of giving Vale to him, then he would have quit long, long ago.

Ah, the promise of Vale. Roman didn't understand why they needed all this dust, or all these henchmen, especially The White Fang, but Roman almost put that behind him if it gave him Vale. Roman couldn't help but think, however, that with all this Dust and henchmen, Cinder was thinking of invading Vale or some other Kingdom. If that was the case, it was admittedly an ingenious plan. You take away a Kingdoms source of firepower, then you have basically crippled them. With that you could practically take over the Kingdom in a day, with the right men of course.

'As long as she leaves Vale somewhat intact, I don't care what she does.' Roman thought to himself as he picked up the chatter of two grunts. Apparently they were making bets on which Kingdom would win in the Vytal festival. If Roman had to choose one, admittedly he would have gone with Vale. Indeed, there might be some bias in the presumption, but from what he had seen there was a good chance that Vale would win. Not only was there a promising (never speaking that out loud) young red character running about, but they also had the untouchable gladiator champion herself, Pyrrha Nikos. If there was any body more likely to win, it was Vale.

That's if Cinder and her crew didn't get involved, of course.

"Uh, Mr. Torchwick?" A shy voice spoke up. Looking to the direction of the voice, Torchwick took in the sight of the small Grunt, fidgeting nervously under his gaze. "U-Um, All the Faunus have gathered in the Warehouse, I-I came to get you as you requested."

"Ah," Oh yeah, Roman almost forgot why he was here in the first place. Letting a charming smile befall his face, he gave the girl one of his more kinder appearances. "Thank you. Wouldn't know what I would do without ya!" Glancing around, he looked for the familiar set of Pink and Brown hair that never failed to answer his call. Spotting her on top of the walkway, he gave a loud whistle, catching her attention. Motioning for her to follow, he watched as she hopped off the railing, gracefully falling from the cat walk, her feet barely making a noise as they touched the ground. No matter how many times he saw that, he was always left impressed by her skill in stealth. 'My, how far my little girl has come.' "Neo, dear, have you by chance seen our little cub anywhere?"

The Strawberry Chocolate hair girl didn't respond verbally. With a twist of her umbrella, a tap of her foot, and a smile that could kill, she pointed behind Roman. Watching with amusement, he gave a chance look behind him. Yet as he turned, his charming smile turned into a furious frown at the sight of the 'Cub.'

Lying on his back, his arms hanging uselessly besides him, was the most useless White Fang member. Useless, not to be mixed with worthless, Roman reminded himself. His blonde mop that he insisted was hair was sprawled out in every direction. His uniform, or what was left of it, was opened, showing his many abs. As if the tattered and destroyed uniform wasn't enough, the boy had insisted on going shoeless. His feet, which surprisingly didn't smell, hung loosely off the box he slept on, carelessly moving with the wind. Roman couldn't help but compare the boy to a wild beast. Well, that might be racist considering what he was, but it was a common enough saying to get away with it.

Irritably, Roman walked over to the boy, his snores getting louder with each step. Along with each step, Romans fury grew. Jealousy sprouted at how calm this boy could be, even amidst all this chaos in his own glorified gang. While Roman worked day and night to appease some teenage girl with daddy issues, this brat got to sleep… ON DUTY! As Roman stood over the Cub, he briefly thought of beating him with his cane to wake him up, but thought against it. Roman didn't want to be on worse terms with the White Fang as he already was.

Instead, Roman lifted his foot, planting it on the side of the crate, he gave a mighty push. The box tipped with minimal effort, tossing the boy and whatever was within to the side. The blondes arm and legs flailed in a comedic manner as he tried to stand up. Admittedly, it was a hilarious sight to see, but Roman kept his composure. If he were to burst out laughing right now, he may run the risk of being looked down upon. Honestly, Roman never understood that weird unwritten rule. Wouldn't seeing your boss laugh and interact with subordinates make him feel more welcoming than threatening? Not only should it boost morale, but also encourage followers to work harder. Ugh, this world worked in mysterious ways indeed.

"Are you awake now, Scar face?" Roman insulted, still perturbed by the grunts negligence. It might have been a little more than rude to insult someone's appearance like that, but Roman couldn't care less right now. He had a job to do, and that involved this brat. Sleeping during a job was a big No no. "After your done flailing like a chicken with its head cut off, meet me on stage. We got a ton of convincing to do if we want more Fang members."

"Gitty God damn you!" The boy slurred, still half awake. At times, Roman had to wonder if this kid was even speaking English. The boy tended to slur his words, or jumble them together half the time. Maybe it was how he was raised; but it brought up the question if he was ever educated in proper speech. "Ya coulda at leas' shookme awake! Pushin' me off the crate is a bit much, doncha think!?"

"Oh you're fine." Roman replied, brushing aside the boys complaints. "You're a big boy now in a big boy world! You need to be prepared for anything at every given moment!" Roman said, watching as the boy dusted his uniform off, a sneer apparent on his face. "Besides, with that ability of yours you should have been completely fine, right?"

"Yeah, but 'hat don't mean I don't feel no pain!" The boy yelled, shaking his fist at Roman. Shaking his head, Roman couldn't help but feel immense embarrassment at being around this kid. The cub was way too immature for this line of business. Turning around, he started to walk away, ignoring the profanity thrown his way. It would be a miracle if this kid even convinces one person to join their cause. It would be difficult, but Roman was sure that he could work this out somehow.

Neo gave him a calming smile, sympathizing with his inner plight. Roman couldn't help but think that if that kid was like Neo, then everything would work out perfectly. For Roman, Neo was the absolute definition for perfection in this line of business; besides himself of course. This girl, who grew up on the streets, was probably the best talent that Roman could ever come across in this life. It was amazing how much natural talent she had for stealth, fighting, and of course killing. It made him wonder why no one else spotted this diamond in the rough before him. Well, Roman did have a talent to see what others don't. Roman was able to see talent where others couldn't, and able to see the positive and negative of an individual to a T. Not only was she probably the best subordinate he could ask for; she was the best daughter he could ask for.

Roman wouldn't say that out loud though, as not only would it be weird for someone like him to say, it would jeopardize his work. If Roman were to admit something like that, he feared that he may start treating her as such. Roman would be hesitant to send her on missions, flat out deny her killing others, and would just treat her like she was a princess. He couldn't do that, as stated above, it would hurt his line of work. So Roman just settled with thinking that she would make for a perfect daughter.

Noticing that Neo had stopped smiling at him and was looking in a different direction, he followed her line of sight to the Cub doing rapid pushups in an attempt to impress the other White Fang members. Staring for a little, Roman couldn't help a very disturbing thought to cross his mind. Glancing between Neo and Cub, a bad sense of foreboding overcame his heart. She was at that age now, but there was no possible way, right?

"Ah, Neo, I have a question." Roman said, grabbing the ice cream haired girls attention. At the mute response to continue, Roman gave a nervous cough. "You don't happen to, perchance, have any 'special' feelings for our young Cub, do you?"

It took a minute for Neo to fully comprehend what Roman had asked of her. Her reaction, which was instantaneous, was that of pure disgust. Roman knew immediately what that meant, not that it took a genius to understand. Breathing a sigh of relief, Roman gave her a smile. Of course she wouldn't have developed any feelings like that. Neo was a professional, like him, so there was no doubt that she would treat her comrades professionally either.

"Ah, I just remembered." Roman said, clicking his tongue. Neo looked up at him curiously, her short stature problematic when it came to tall people. "How is our little merchant coming along? I'm sure he must have made a profit by now, correct?"

Neo shook her head, confirming his fears. Sighing, he couldn't help but feel bad for the poor merchant. Awhile ago, some information came up that a young Gray haired boy had been making rounds through the town, doing his best to sell items and equipment. The reason why this even concerned them was because one of the items was Dust. Roman thought of having some henchmen mug him, but a gut feeling told him that wouldn't be wise. Instead, he had Neo tail him, and as it turned out the merchant had extremely horrible luck. Not only was he unable to sell anything, he was unable to sell dust to a Kingdom that needed it terribly. It was like bad luck just gravitated to that merchant. So poor was this man that he actually felt bad for him, even if his bad luck benefited Roman.

"Well, I suppose that's good." Roman said as he turned to the entrance to the warehouse. The murmur of the crowd echoing throughout the area. Walking towards the warehouse, he tightened the hat on his head. "Well, no point in making the fans wait for us! Let's go, Neo, Cub! It's time to get to business!"

Let's give them a show to remember.

* * *

Vale

Same District

Same Time

Blake Belladonna wasn't always the worrying type. Sometime ago, last year to be exact, she was constantly on the move. Never needing to worry about where she went, how far she went nor the time of day it was. Danger wasn't even a thing for her to worry about back then, as Adam was always there for her. He protected her from the other hardships of life, like enemies and prejudice from others. Thinking back on it, all she ever really needed to worry about was when to eat, what to eat, and when to sleep. That last one was close to not even being on this list for it was only ever once when she worried about fatigue. Even enemies didn't make it on the list, for she and Adam were a perfect team. They were both dark, they were both Faunus, they were both White Fang, and they were both lovers.

Now days however? Not only was Blake and Adam a thing of the past, constant worry continually plagued her mind. Worry for what she had done and the lives she'd taken. Worry for her own wellbeing as Adam hunted her down. Worry for her friends wellbeing as Blake had dragged them into this mess. It constantly ate at her until she decided to take action. Even then, it worried her. All for one, tiny reason.

"Dang, there's a lot of Faunus here Blake!" Sun spoke up loudly next to her. This man was the reason why she felt such anxiety coming here tonight. Sun Wukong, a transfer student from Haven Academy, a person she barely knew, had tagged along on this near suicide mission. Blake could relax a little when it came to her friends as she knew their abilities, but when it came to Sun she was unsure. Blake has seen Sun in action, and while he seemed competent in combat, that didn't mean he deserved to be here. He had a chance of dying, and that was something Blake was unsure she could handle if it came to it.

"Of course there are, Sun." Blake responded quieter than he had. She needed to set aside her worries for now if she wanted to get anything done. As they both walked towards the crowd of White Fang supporters and recruits, she continued talking. "The Faunus people in Vale are angered and restless. Years of oppression and discrimination has made our kind hateful and seeking of a scapegoat. It also doesn't help that the Black Fang have been carrying out operations against the White Fang again. The Faunus are scared, scared for their lives and their families lives. They see the White Fang as a protector from the Black Fang and any brutality any other Humans try to do."

"Woah, that's really insightful." Sun admitted, as they came to a stop in the crowd. Looking around, he couldn't help but think about how they fit in with the crowd. "But isn't that really counterproductive? I mean, I get trying to get protection from the Black Fang by joining a bigger crowd, but doesn't that only make you a bigger target for the Black Fang?"

"That's what I'm confused about too." Blake admitted, watching as the guy on stage talked about oppression and discrimination. Honestly, he was making some pretty good points up there. "What would convince an already scared group of people to join the White Fang? I'm sure that they should know the consequences of joining such a group, so what kind of promises could they make to get so many Faunus to join them?"

"Now!" The speaker spoke louder, grabbing the attention of both Blake and Sun. "Let me introduce a very special comrade of ours!" and as he spoke, clad in white, red and Brown, was Roman Torchwick, the infamous crime Lord. Blake had some choice words to describe him, but refrained. Roman wasn't worth the words she had. The crowd seemed to share her sentiment though, as a round of boos and agitated Faunus shared their distaste for the man. "I can assure you, he is the key for what we have fought for, for so long!"

"Thank you! Thank you! Please, hold your applause!" Roman spoke, amusement clear in his voice. It disgusted Blake how he could find joy in doing what he does.

"What's a human doing here!?" A random voice called out. Sun and Blake couldn't help but agree with that question. What was a human doing here? This was a meeting for Faunus; for the White Fang! The White Fangs motives seem to be contradicting their own beliefs.

"I'm glad you asked, dearie!" Roman said as the crowd quieted down, allowing for the outsider to speak. "Now, I'll be the first to admit; Humans are the worst. Case in point!" Roman spoke, motioning towards himself. "So, I understand why you would all want to see us locked away… or better yet: killed!" And that was true. You could practically feel the bloodlust in the air. "But! Before the claws come out I would like to mention the fact that you and I ALL have a common enemy! The ones in control, the people pulling the strings, the dirty rotten humans that run our Kingdoms! Government. Military. Even the schools. They're all to blame for your lot in life." There was a mixture of applause and disapproval sounded around. Apparently some of the more hardcore haters detested the idea of working with a human. "And they're all pests that need to be dealt with. Fortunately, I'm the best exterminator around." Roman seemed to freeze at this, realizing something. "No offense to any rodents in the room."

With a snap of his fingers, Blake realized why the White Fang would stoop so low as to work with this man, as to why they would work with a human. The curtain fell, revealing one of the biggest man piloted machines Blake had ever come to witness. It was tall, so tall that it had to crouch just to fit in the warehouse. Blake could feel Suns nervousness as he stared at the goliath, and she couldn't help herself but feel intimidated as well. The whole room was dead silent at the sight, surprised and astounded Roman was able to get this sort of monstrosity.

"This!" Roman said, motioning to the giant robot "Is Atlas' newest line of defense against all the scary things in the world! And thanks to my employer, we've managed to snag a few before they, uh, hit the shelves." Roman said, his voice tinged with pride at the weapon he was able to get his hands on.

Roman proceeded to encourage the Faunus, giving directions to a base of operations in the south east. He spoke of how if they wished to stay in the city, that was fine, but if they truly wanted to fight for what they believed in, then they would head with him there.

"This is the arsenal I can provide you." Roman spoke glee in his voice as he practically won over the Faunus. Begrudgingly, Blake had to admit that this was extremely convincing. If Blake was willing to rejoin the White Fang, she knew that this would have been the perfect entrance ceremony for her. Turning to Sun, she was about to suggest leaving. "But wait, before you lot get all riled up, there's more to this than just some fancy toy you can get at your local toy store. Today, I brought along a little something extra for those in the fence about this fabulous deal!"

"Oh god, there's more!?" Sun complained, nervous about what was to come. It was reasonable too, seeing as what Roman had shown so far was frightening as it was. If he had more to show, it must be better than what he has already shown. That was the way Roman rolled.

"Alas, without further ado, I present to you tonight's main event!" As Roman held out his hand to the right of him, a man in a ruined uniform slowly walked out from behind the giant mech. The man stood still, as if getting in position to do something. "Allow me to introduce you! This is one of our many White Fang members, but this boy is much, much different. You see, we have Huntsmen and Huntresses bearing down our neck each and every day. Trying to quell our justified resistance. But don't you ever find it unfair? How people with Superpowers like them can just do as they please? To bully and pick on us just because we're weaker than them!?" A round of applause emitted throughout the room, Romans words resonating with the Faunus. "Luckily, my employer and I have found a remedy for this little problem. Let me introduce you, to the world of Magic!"

As if practiced, or even staged, the floor beneath the blonde boys feet shattered and cracked, before a large crater was formed. The sound of silence was left behind as the crowd of Faunus watched in amazement of the spectacle that had just occurred. Of course, this was nothing to the few individuals in the room with their Aura's unlocked. With enough Aura concentrated in one focal point in the body, you could be able to see crush your surroundings in a blink of an eye. Almost always though, this took a considerable amount and the users Aura was always on display when in use.

This was not the case here.

"How is he doing that!?" Blake asked, astonished by the sheer power of the boy. The blondes Aura was nonexistent to Blake's eyes, yet not only did he crush the ground beneath him with ease, he created a crater large enough to be a swimming pool. 'Maybe it was his semblance? To increase his weight enough to cave in the floor he was on?'

"Now to those of you in the crowd thinking to yourself, 'Why is he showing off some kid who can break the ground? Anybody with Aura can do that!' Well, let me prove you wrong there!" Roman said, practically reading Blake's mind. Roman leaned on his Cain, getting comfortable. "This here, is Magic. Not to be confused with Aura. Now, Magic works similar to Aura, but at the same time quite different. Aura, in its simplest form, covers the user in a protective coating that defends and heals its owner. Magic, doesn't do that. Magic goes through the body, coming out and altering reality itself. Now here's where the similarities come into play. With enough practice, Magic and Aura can strengthen the body to a superhuman state. Speed, Strength, and endurance. It doesn't end there, as Aura users have Semblance, Magic Users have Divine Protections. Both work practically the same, but Divine Protections are a little different." Roman gave a mischievous grin, a sign that Blake nor Sun felt comfortable with. "For example."

Before anybody could stop him, Roman Torchwick lifted his cane and shot the boy in the head. A shocked silence filled the room as the body crumbled to the floor, his limbs a tangled mess. Both Suns and Blake's mouth hung open in surprise and shock at what had happened. Whatever they had expected, they hadn't expected Torchwick to straight up murder a White Fang member. Even a person who could wield Aura wouldn't be able to live with a bullet fired from point blank. Blake's fist clenched tightly in uncontrolled rage. She might have been against the White Fang and what they stood for, but she didn't want to see them die for their misdeeds. She wanted to convince them what they were doing is wrong, not lop off their heads because they were causing trouble. Opening her mouth, Blake was about to call Torchwick out.

"Ya god damn bastard!" The boy yelled, sitting up in a rage. The bullet fell out of the side of his head, the dent it left healing in seconds. That was inhuman, even for a Hunter. Getting up, he walked towards Roman, looking like he was about to kill someone. "What 'he hell do ya think your doin'!? That freakin' hurt! If you wanted a' example, you shoulda' warned me first! Now my head hurts and my ear is ringin'! Hey! Are ya even listen-"

"As you could see, this boy survived a bullet entering his head at point blank range. That itself should prove that Magic exists, or at least convince you this is a new power." Roman said, pushing the raging boy out of the way. "That being said, I can provide you with powers similar to this. All you have to do is join the White Fang, and it can all be yours." Roman smiled, putting a cigarette in his mouth. "Any questions?"

'Of course they won't!' Blake thought to herself, hopeful that the recruits wouldn't buy his propaganda. Yet, one by one the crowd moved forward, cheering and chanting for the White Fang. Blake couldn't help but be disappointed at the recruits, they hardly knew what they were getting themselves into. They will be made to kill humans, innocent bystanders that wouldn't even know what they did wrong. 'It just isn't right!'

"Those with Aura, go to the right side of the room. Those who haven't unlocked theirs yet step to the right! Those with Aura won't be able to use Magic!" The stage host yelled.

"Uh, hey Blake?" Sun spoke up, shaking Blake out of her daze. Glancing at him, she gave a silent 'What?' "I think we're about to be spotted!"

True to his word, Roman was staring right in their direction, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. Panicking, Blake looked around the room for a quick escape. Spotting a generator on one of the laws, she gave Sun a look.

"Get ready to run." Without waiting for a response, Blake pulled out her Gambol Shroud, firing a shot in the direction of the generator. Within less than a second, the generator blew, causing the lights to cut. Blake and Sun took this chance to make their Grand Escape.

A Few minutes Later

"So, we infiltrated a White Fang recruitment drive, successfully got some pretty neat information, and got out without any problems!" Sun summed up, Blake not really paying any attention. "So, do you care to explain how a FREAKING ROBOT AND HUMAN ROCKET ARE CHASING US!?"

"Less complaining, more running Sun!" Blake yelled as she hopped across another roof. Indeed, it was a wonder how Roman was able to tell where they went when the lights went out, but Blake had summed it up to chance. It was either that, or the monster of a boy lead Roman to them. It was most likely the second, as he was doing a good job on tailing them.

The whole reason Blake even considered him a monster was because of the fact of his they chased them. When Blake and Sun had made their escape, they had chosen to jump out of the warehouse windows. What did the boy do? Run through the freaking wall. While they gracefully jumped across buildings, what did he do? Projectile launched himself at them.

"God he's fast! And look at the size of that thing! It's like we're in some Mecha anime!" Sun yelled, frightful of the goliath that Roman was piloting. Admittedly, Blake was probably as fearful or more of the giant Mech. If she went up against that… Blake shuddered at the thought. "Hey! What are we gonna do!? It's catching up!"

'Crap! It was!' Thinking fast, Blake gave her surroundings a look. A nail salon. A sushi restaurant. A park. A dog- 'The Park!'

"Sun! Follow me, we're going to try to lose them in the park!" Blake yelled as she hopped down to ground level, Sun following close behind her. She could hear the thunder of metal pounding at the ground slowly come to a stop before picking right back up. 'Roman must have turned to get to us.'

Hopping into the trees, they started going in Zig Zag motions, doing their best to lose their pursuers. It was all for naught though, as for each move they did, the boy and Mecha followed without fail. Blake needed to plan. If they couldn't lose them, then they would need to fight back. Pulling out her Scroll, she rung up everyone, the only one to be unresponsive was Ruby. That was a cause of concern for her, but now wasn't the time for that.

"Everyone! We need back up-"

"HEEEEELP!" Sun yelled, taking over the call. "There's a giant freaking robot and freaky Magic man chancing us right now! We need back up ASAP!"

"Smooth." Blake rolled her eyes, Suns other side being… less than manly. It wasn't bad, but compared to his appearance it was a little off putting. Actually, it was because of his appearance that it was so off putting.

"Hey! Isn't that Ruby!?" Sun called out. Curious, Blake gave her surroundings a look around. Spotting a familiar red head, Blake could see her… Dancing!? "Hey, is she dancing? And who's that guy?" Sun gave a gasp of surprise, a look of disgust marring his face. "I didn't take her for one of those kinds of girls!"

"She isn't like that!" Blake defended, watching as Ruby continued to jump up and down, excitement clear on her face. Blake had only ever seen Ruby like that when Blake let her see her weapon. At the time, Ruby had called it one of the coolest weapons she ever saw. To see her like this obviously meant something similar must be going on. "Sun! Let's go grab her!"

"Right!" Sun replied as they dashed over to her. Flying over her, Blake gave her a shout, which she assumed she heard. Without looking back, Sun and Blake continued in their way. They couldn't afford to stop now, as they didn't have everybody yet. They would just have to hope she heard.

"Hey!" A voice spoke up behind them. Glancing back, she could see Ruby doing her best to keep up with both Sun and Blake. How she caught up to them so fast, Blake assumed she used her Semblance for. Speed was such a useful Semblance at times. "What's going on!? Why is there a awesome robot chasing you guys!?"

"You think that's awesome!?" Sun blanched, disbelief clear on his face. "How in the world do you think that's awesome!?"

"Well… I mean… look at it!" Ruby yelled back, defending her opinion. "It looks so cool! The lasers and all those guns just look so awesome!"

"But we're being chased by it!" Sun yelled back. "Doesn't that scare you at all!?"

"Of course it does, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate it!" Ruby yelled back, holding Crescent Rose closer to her.

"She's a weapon freak, Sun. Convincing her that machine isn't cool is like beating your head against a rock." Blake said, causing Ruby to have tears run down her cheeks.

"No one will understand us, Crescent Rose!" Ruby cried, hugging Crescent Rose closer to her chest. Sun snickered at her antics, while Blake gave a smile and rolled her eyes.

A resounding boom caught all their attention. Glancing in the direction of the noise, the could see debris fly in all directions. Rocks the size of boulders flew through the air before making a anticlimactic thud as they made contact with the ground. Truly, it was a strange sight to behold.

"Hey what was that!?" Sun asked, his mouth running without him thinking. But it was a good question. What could make such giant objects fly through the air like it was nothing?

* * *

Vale

Park

A Few minutes prior

Subaru gave a gasp of surprise, his eyes widening as he felt his soul grasp onto his body once again, death having failed to retrieve its prize once more. Subaru saw it from the corner of his eye; the monster that had killed him over thirty seven times. Sweat formed on his cheek as he heard the familiar grunts of The Beast as he shifted in his stance. A feeling akin to worry gripped his heart as The Beast stood at his full height, which was shorter than him but almost twice as intimidating. His abs filled Subaru with a sort of jealous loathing. The Beasts teeth shined with a uncanny sharpness that could only be described as inhuman.

Standing in front of Subaru, growling like a starved beast, was one of the toughest opponents Subaru had ever come across since joining the Cult. And that wasn't even a exaggeration. This blonde haired beast was one of the best fighters that he had seen besides Elsa. That wasn't to say that he was the greatest judge of skill, but if he was able to kill Subaru, the Archbishop of Pride, without even breaking a sweat then it must say something about his talent. The blonde was not only difficult on a level of strength but speed as well, jumping back and forth between the trees so quickly that Subaru was unable to keep track before a fist implanted itself into his lung.

If Subaru had to say, he would put this Beast somewhere on the level of Elsa, which he wished he would never have to face again. While he had survived the encounter with the Vampire of Gusteko, it was a gruesome string of events that even lead to that happy end. And this was no different.

It wasn't like Subaru could run away either, as the spawn point had changed to right as Ruby left, leaving him in an endless loop of "CULTIST" courtesy of deaths little baby maker, the blonde abstract. Constantly Subaru had to hear his killer drone on about how evil he was and that he murdered yatta yatta yatta many people. It's not like the dead had any place in this fight, so he didn't understand why this beast made such a big deal out of it. Well, Subaru really couldn't complain, for each time the beast went on his rant, it gave time for Subaru to think of a new strategy in killing him. All of them had failed of course, but Subaru hadn't gained nothing for his ventures.

The Beast seemed to never take his feet off the ground. Now, that might sound stupid to just assume that had any relevance, but it did. During the many loops Subaru had suffered, he had come to notice a difference in combat prowess when he was mid flight and on the ground. It was like his body tensed itself midair, while on the ground he almost seem open to any form of attacks. Which, by the way, Subaru had yet to land one.

That was another thing that made this man so much more terrifying to fight. While he seemed to be full of openings and chances that Subaru could take full advantage of, it was not that case at all. Every move that this beast made, every step, radiated power and precision. Every move Subaru made was like taking a step closer to his own personal doomsday. Subaru felt like he was a puppet connected to a puppeteers string.

'Don't fool me with that Bull crap!' Subaru thought to himself in his head, sneering with distaste. Frustration for the beast and this world finally bearing fruit. 'I didn't do all those atrocious things just to end up in a dead end! I didn't leave that forsaken mansion to just give up now! I didn't make the friends I have just to keel over like some dead pup in some back alley! I didn't join the Cult to lose!'

"Cultist!" The Beast yelled again, his teeth flaring with unkempt hatred. Turning his body to the beast, Subaru gave him a look full of spite. He wouldn't let this rage control him however. Subaru needed to think of a way to get out of this. "What is a cultist doing here!?"

"I'm just traveling around the world." Subaru answered, readying his body for the fight to come. Subaru needed to get his body off the ground, and that was going to be no easy task. He would need to play dirty. "This is my first time visiting a Kingdom, and I thought I would take in the sights. What about you? From what I can tell, you must be a Magic user."

"Huh? How did yo-" The Beast started, only to be interrupted by Subaru as he ran up to him, using the Unseen Hand to pull cement out of the ground to use as a cover for his next attack. This had the desired effect, as the beast used his arms to cover his face. Thanking whatever God there was looking out for him, Subaru gave the Beast an Unseen Hand enhanced uppercut. The Unseen Hand had a son of uses other than squishing people to death, as Betelgeuse was so adamant on doing to every one of his victims. The special thing that nobody ever noticed about the Unseen Hand was that physical objects didn't stop it. It was able to go through a Lugnica Knight without any difficulty, cutting through flesh and bone with ease(1). So, using this knowledge, Subaru used his two Unseen Hands to give a triple uppercut.

The attack connected, but this didn't satisfy Subaru at all. If anything it made him fearful. Flying back, doing spins along the way, the Beast landed on all fours, skidding to a stop. Subaru couldn't help but blanch at what he had witnessed. Subaru thought he had a good read on this beasts skill, but now he could truly tell how outclassed he truly was.

"You… you leaned back to reduce the damage?" Subaru questioned, unsure if he was seeing things. The Beast rubbed his chin, a small bruise forming before quickly healing. 'Great, so he has healing powers too!'

"Damn! You saw that!? You must got some pretty good eyes if you saw me do that!" The Beast complimented, which seemed extremely out of place from the previous loops. Normally all he would do is cuss and curse Subaru's very existence. To do a complete one eighty like that must mean something… right? "But I won't let you get in a punch like that again, you hear!? That freaking hurt and I'm gonna make you pay for that tenfold!"

"Please, don't." Subaru begged, internally crying at the thought of dying again. It hurt so much to die, but this wasn't only dying in a normal way. This was brutalization. 'At least I haven't been squished yet! I'm happy for that!'

Almost like he was readying his mind, The Beast stomped on the ground. A big chunk of the earth suddenly became unearthed, appearing to float above the ground. This chunk of earth blocked Subaru's view of the Beast, making him all the more nervous. Suddenly, the rock started moving, spinning. It was only on the final spin that Subaru understood what the Beast was trying to do. Thinking fast, Subaru used the Unseen Hand to push himself into the air, narrowly dodging the boulder thrown his way.

"Gotcha!" Looking up, Subaru felt himself shrink in fear. Above him, spinning rapidly, was the beast. It didn't take a genius to realize what he intended to do, and it only took an idiot to not feel the chill of death as it creeped up on him. Wordlessly, Subaru cursed his own luck at what was bound to happen next.

'I don't want to be crushed!' Subaru thought to himself as he frantically thought of a way out of this. He was unable to move midair, he was unable to cast any spells unless he was close range. He was unable to att- 'That's it! This is my chance!'

Grinning, Subaru reached out to the beast, too far from his reach. Using the Unseen Hand, he grabbed onto the beasts leg, who let out a surprised yelp. Squishing the leg in his hand, Subaru heard the satisfying crunch of bone followed by a panicked scream. Subaru would have continued, if not for the beasts quick thinking. The Beast, who didn't know what was going on, ignored his pain and gave Subaru a kick to the jaw on pure instincts. They both fell to the ground, mangled meats of flesh and bone.

Groaning, Subaru rubbed his sore chin. Even though he got hit, he couldn't help but feel happy. His theory on his opponent was right. When he's on the ground, he was much more stronger than anyone he faced. His punches were like stone, and his kicks felt like a thousand blunt swords weighing down on him. This, however, wasn't the case here. As the Beast made contact with Subaru, he could tell that the kick was weaker than it was before. Much, much weaker. In previous loops Subaru's head would have been disconnected from its spine; this time all he felt was a headache.

Not to say it didn't hurt. God's no, it hurt like hell. While it wasn't on par with those of before, it still had a kick(2) to it. Grunting, Subaru did his best to stand, the world spinning without a care in the world. With a stumble, Subaru covered his mouth, his lunch not sitting right with him. Swallowing his bile, Subaru did his best to focus on his opponent.

Wait. Where was he?

"I'm gonna kill you!"

'Above!?'

It was only on pure instinct that Subaru wasn't crushed by the kick the Beast sent. Using the Unseen Hands, Subaru pushed himself back, the kick mere inches from his face. With a resounding crack, the Earth where Subaru previously occupied caved in. The Beasts left leg limply hanging onto the rest of his body. He must have been in extreme pain, if the way his mouth was moving was any indication. Due to the excessive movement, Subaru wasn't able to hold in the contents of his stomach anymore. Tasting the undigested food was as disgusting as it sounded coming out. Wiping his mouth, Subaru gave a glare at the Beast, the world still spinning. He needed to buy time so the effects of the kick wore off.

"What's your name?" Subaru spoke up, his voice slurred, asking the confused Beast, who proceeded to shift his leg back into place. With a grunt, the Beast stood on one leg, the other an inch off the ground. The Beast gave a sneer, the expression strong enough to tell him a thousand words within an instant.

"Why should I tell a villain like you?" The Beast questioned, not declining. He was just merely inquiring what the purpose was to lending his name out. Subaru smiled at this; of course he wouldn't share his name so willingly as he. It was no matter; it gave Subaru more time to think of a plan. Shifting his body in a comfortable stance, Subaru continued.

"Because you're a good fighter." Subaru complimented, purposefully stroking his ego. Everyone caved in when their ego was stroked long enough. "You're one of the toughest opponents I have ever fought one on one, and I've went up against some of The Volakia Empires finest (I hope so). So the least you could do is share your name with me, so I may remember it the rest of my life."

"Who says yer gonna be making it outta this alive!?" The Beast yelled, his teeth flaring the knives he called teeth. Subaru was wondering why such a Human looking Demi-Human was in the White Fang. Actually, Subaru was still curious, but he'd have to work on him if he wanted to learn why. "I'm gonna kill you right here and now!"

"I never said I was going to make it out of here." Subaru spoke honestly. Subaru was fully aware that he might not make it out of here, even if the headache subsided. Not that he had any intention of dying here. "I am just wondering what your name is, is all. If I'm going to die here I would like to at least know my killers name."

The Beast seemed to stop at this, his anger subsiding for just a second to take on a thoughtful expression before reverting back to its normal angered expression. The Beast gave a 'Tsk' sound, tapping his foot and looking in multiple directions. With a weary sigh, he gave Subaru a cheerful grin, his attitude shifting to a one eighty. Subaru couldn't help but think, by a stroke of luck, if they weren't on opposing sides they would have made for great friends. Too bad that day will never be.

"Th' names Garfiel Tinsel!" The Beast revealed, pointing to himself like he was the next big thing. Subaru looked at him, surprised. He honestly didn't think that The Beast would have revealed his name so carelessly. If Subaru was Gluttony, then that would have been endgame for Garfiel. "A' Huntsmen in trainin' an' occasional White Fang member! Yer ass better remember tha' on yer way t' hell, Cultist!"

Subaru couldn't help but smile at this. This guys cheerfulness was contagious. It made him want to forget about his hatred of The White Fang and set aside their differences just to have a drink with him. However, as much as he wished to, Subaru knew it was impossible. They both detested the others group, and them by extension. As regrettable as it was, only one of them would be leaving here alive tonight.

'Maybe in the next life, Garfiel, we can be friends.' Subaru thought hopefully. Subaru was by no way religious, even if he was in a 'Church.' He believed in a higher entity, but not in a way traditional religion saw it. Something must have created life, and by mistake, them.

"I am a Archbishop of the Witches Sect representing Pride, Subaru Natsuki." Subaru revealed, much to the shock of Garfiel, who couldn't help but take one step back. Subaru grinned at this; so he was infamous even down here? "Nice to meet you!"

"Y-You're a' freakin' Archbishop!?" Garfiel asked, unconvinced. Understandable, since Subaru was probably the weakest Archbishop there was in existence. If Garfiel had fought any of the other Archbishops he would have most likely died by now. "What in the hell is'a Archbishop doing here in Remnant!? I thought you guys didn't come down here!"

"I told you, I'm just exploring." Subaru repeated with a shake of his head. Why didn't people listen to him more. Oops, that sounded a little too much like Regulus. "I'm not always looking to kill people left and right, you know? Most if the time I like to explore the world, and take in its sights. It's only when I go on missions when I kill."

"Bull shit!" Garfiel yelled, denying the facts. Not like it mattered, seeing as one of them would be dead soon. "You guys created the Black Fang! Do you know how many Faunus have died because of those psychos!?"

"Hey! I didn't create the Black Fang! That was all Bete- Sloth!" Subaru defended, disgusted at the notion that he would take credit for that freaks work. Truly, Betelgeuse was tasteless when it came to killing, as he tore people limb from limb, torturing them to death. Subaru just cut them down, not wanting to prolong someone's death. Subaru knew how that felt, so he wouldn't wish that upon someone else. "Also, that's a pretty hypocritical thing to say, Garfiel. I'm not sure what the Black Fang does, but I'm pretty sure that the White Fang kills humans and kidnaps kids to ransom them. Isn't that equally as vile?"

"But it was you humans who started this! Ya have discriminated th'Faunus fer centuries, an' when we finally get our rights you try t'force us onto a crowded island!" Garfiel reasoned, their debate heating up. This was probably never something Subaru expected to have in a fight to the death. "Not jus' 'hat, but we are still picked on! I saw Faunus beaten on the street jus' because they had different ears than humans! Ain't that justifiable for retaliation!?"

"Sure, but let's look at the Black Fang then." Subaru offered, defending his side. "The Black Fang are a group of Humans that fight against the White Fang because they don't feel safe. They join this gang to protect themselves and their families from international terrorists that kidnap children to ransom them. Isn't that justifiable too?"

"Ugh- Why you!" Garfiel growled, cornered. It was obvious that he wasn't used to verbal arguments. Apparently his skill for combat didn't transition well with words. Standing, Garfiel gave a growl, bending his legs in preparation for a jump. "Lets fight, Pride!"

'Wait! His leg should be broken! How is it-' Then Subaru remembered, Garfiel could heal. He was able to take a enhanced fist attack, and heal it within a second. Cursing, Subaru prepared himself to dodge.

"Not so fast!" Garfiel yelled as he punched the ground. At first it seemed that held no purpose, but as the seconds ticked down, Subaru had realized what Garfiel had done. With a mighty shake, the world around Subaru tipped over. The ground below him became a crater.

Grinning, Garfiel jumped, ready to tear Subaru to shreds. Surprise filled Subaru's face as he realized he had lost. Cursing his luck, he tightly closed his eyes, hoping it would be painless.

"Cowabunga!"

Both Garfiel and Subaru gave a surprised gasp as a foot implanted itself onto Garfiel's cheek, sending the Demi-Human flying. With a flip, Garfiel skid to a to a stop. Subaru landed on his back, letting out a pained gasp as a rock hit his tail bone.

"Hey! Are you alright!?" His savior asked, his eyes never leaving the shaken form of Garfiel. Subaru looked up at the man before him, his white colored shirt wide open for the world to see. His pants were rolled up to his knees, making him wonder why he would wear them in the first place. He held a red staff, gold ceremonial markings lining the weapon from top to bottom. He had golden blond hair, similar to Garfiel, and a golden tail that waved wildly. "Dude, you're worrying me here! You don't know how ticked Ruby would be if you got brain damage here!"

"Ruby?" Subaru asked, his brain collecting the pieces of information of who that was. With a start, he remembered the over excited Silver Eyed girl, all to eager to learn more about him. How he forgot about her was a mystery, but considering it had been hours for him since he last saw her, it was a reasonable excuse. Getting up, he kept an eye on Garfiel, who seemed to be panicking about something, probabky the mask the mask falling apart. "Did she send you?"

"Huh? Oh! Yeah!" The Blonde Faunus said as he watched Subaru out of the corner of his eye. Shifting his Staff into a defense stance, he continued his talk. "Yeah! She wouldn't stop freaking out that you might be killed, so I volunteered to help you out! You actually saved my skin too! I really didn't want to fight a giant robot! Names Sun Wukong by the way!"

"Giant Robot?" Subaru asked, modern technology being lost on him(3). Having come from Lugnica, which was still in a primitive age, concepts like Cars and Robots were a thing of rarity for him. The only modern concepts he knew about were guns and boats. "What's that?"

"You don't know what a Robot is!?" Sun yelled, astonished by this revelation. "You know, those giant things made of metal that make loud sounds as they walk and have a ton if guns on them!? One was chasing us earlier when we passed by!"

"Um… I'm not re- OH!" Subaru said as he put his right fist in his palm, his eyes widening in realization. "You were that guy who was with that girl jumping in the trees! Ugh, now I'm getting all jealousy again."

"Yeah! And how did you get Ruby to dance like that anyways? Blake said it was because she's a weapon freak, but you don't look like you use a weapon." The Monkey noted, impressing Subaru with his observations. "You didn't pay her… did you?"

"What? No!" Subaru defended, waving his hands as The Monkey chuckled. "I just showed her a ability of mine and she started freaking out! Besides, I don't think she's some common prostitute you could pay for services."

"Well, that's good! Now I don't have to worry about Yang coming to kill you!" The Monkey said as his body stiffened. Standing besides the blonde Faunus, Subaru watched as the mask of Garfiel crumbled to pieces, revealing jaded eyes, and a terrible scar across his face. Subaru could hear the Faunus gave a groan. "This guy looks like serious business. Please tell me that this isn't going to be as hard as it looks."

"This might be harder than you expect, actually." Subaru replied, Sun groaning heavily. Subaru smiled wryly at him. "I think I have a plan though. I wasn't able to pull it off before, but I'm sure I'll be able to now. All I need you to do is give me a chance to grab him."

"Wait! We're actually going to fight him!?" The Monkey asked, freaking out. "I thought we were just going to run, not take on this human rocket!"

"Of course we are! I used up thirty seven loops for this! I want my revenge!" Subaru yelled back, confusing the poor Faunus. It wasn't like he needed to know, or could know, so Subaru didn't bother explaining. "Just give me a chance to grab him and we'll win! Can you do that!?"

"Ugh. I got a feeling I don't have a choice here." The Faunus groaned, readying himself for a fight. "Just don't take too long, ok!?

"Don't worry." Subaru said as he readied himself, a familiar pleasure coursing through his body. He hadn't used this power in a long time, cause there was really no need to. Subaru had traveled with Regulus since he joined the Cult, so there was really no need for him to use Magic. Now, however, Regulus wasn't with him. Regulus was the one who, begrudgingly, did all the heavy lifting. Subaru just watched as the hot shots were slaughtered. Now, however, Regulus wasn't here. He needed to use his own powers and skills. Skills he spent years honing for the sole purpose of standing on par with the rest of the Archbishops. All that training Purpura gave him would finally bare fruit.

"Alright… well, here I go!" The Monkey said, as he charged at Garfiel headlong. That wasn't something Subaru expected, as he thought he would go for a more strategic approach. Subaru didn't care much for Suns life, but he needed him so he could use his spell. It would be a hassle to do this all over again if he were to fail now.

The Monkey ran, a grin clear on his face. Garfiel, in response to the incoming threat, stomped on the ground trying to trip him. Instead, the Faunus used the staff to launch himself off the ground before it crumbled to pieces. Going over Garfiel, Sun landed in a crouch, his grin having a mischievous tint to it. Lifting the staff, he hit Garfiel's back side, making the Beast budge. Following that, Sun hit Garfiel on multiple parts of his body; right rib, left rib, left knee, right shoulder. Each hit making the Beast flinch and cave in. Until finally, Garfiel caught up to the Monkeys speed and grabbed the staff.

Instead of this being the end for Sun however, the staff unhooked itself. Guns connected to chains revealed themselves to everyone in the vicinity. With a grin that could make the coldest heart in the world beat, he started firing shot after shot into Garfiel. Garfiel in turn had been struck by multiple rubber rounds, but that didn't last for long. Apparently Subaru had been right in adjusting Garfiel's skill, as he casually adapted to the raging monkey. Solid shots soon became missed blanks as Garfiel pushed and deflected the guns out of the way. Rounds passed Subaru's shocked face as he did his best not to get hit.

Grunting in pain, Garfiel focused on the ground, caving in the cement below him. This startled Sun, who did his best to not fall face first. It didn't matter however, as Garfiel's fist rammed itself into his face. Knocking Sun back, rocks and debris followed in his wake by the force. Sun came to a stop by a tree, it's wood splintered and shattered by the ongoing battle.

Garfiel didn't let up however. Focusing on his legs again, he launched himself towards the downed Sun, rocks and leaves following in his wake. Just as he was about to rip his fellow blond to shreds, Sun rolled himself out of the way, using his Staff to launch himself in the air and land in a tree. Garfiel's fist implanted itself in the wood, clearly dead by the amount of abuse it had received.

"Dude! You're freaking scary!" Sun said as he crouched on his branch, the leafs fell due to his weight. Garfiel growled, using his foot to unhinge his hand from the tree. "Like, I have met some scary guys, but you definitely take the cake! Roman Torchwick might dress like a bad guy, but you have the face and teeth to just pull off that 'Ultimate Villain' slot!"

"Why're ya helping 'hat punk!?" Garfiel questioned, ignoring Suns insults. "That guy is t'true bad guy 'ere! He's a member of the Black Fang! An enemy t'us Faunus! Y'should help me kill him!"

Sun's eyes widened in surprise. His head snapped to Subaru, a pained expression set upon his face. Watching, Sun started noticing the similarities between the Black Fang and him. While he hadn't ran into any of them personally, Sun had heard of the horror stories about them and what they wore. The skins and bones of the wildlife within and outside the Kingdom, a mockery of all Faunus alike. The killings and atrocities they committed reached all the way through the Underground to the public.

They were not good people. And he was one of them?

"You… You're a Black Fang?" Sun asked, Garfiel allowing for the conversation to take place. Sun watched, as Subaru looked away, unresponsive. Sun stood shocked, unsure how to take this response. Honestly, Sun detested the Black Fang; they were racist, oppressive and insane. Although, the same could be said about the White Fang. They have done as much, if more, atrocious things to this world the the Black Fang has. "Are you really?"

Subaru grimace, not wanting to admit it. He technically wasn't part of the Black Fang, and had no business with them, but in all honesty that was a lie. Subaru actively supported the Black Fang, if only part of his petty revenge. Gritting his teeth, he looked directly at Sun. He detested lies.

"I hate Faunus." Subaru admitted, surprising Sun by the bluntness of this revelation. "I detest them with every fiber of my being. I hate every non-human. They are liars, they manipulate and murder without a care in the world! They think that they rule the world when in reality they walk the same soil we do! What right do they have to kill families and ruin friendships just because they exist!? Faunus never keep their word, they cheat you out of your money and Will backstab you without a second thought! I hate every Faunus and Demi-Human that exists!"

Sun didn't respond immiedstly, Subaru's words holding so much emotion and belief in them that even someone like him understood Subaru had meaning to say those. That if he were to lie about it, Subaru would have probably killed himself. As dark as that was for Sun to think, he didn't doubt it one bit. The look in the eyes of the dark haired one was cold and merciless.

"Ya see now!?" Garfiel yelled, catching the attention of Sun. Subaru watched, prepared for the betrayal. "He's a'racist an' murderer! As Faunus, we need'a kill him before he kills more of us!"

"Nah, I'm good!" Sun declined, squatting on the tree, his grin resembling a monkey's.

"Huh?" Subaru and Garfiel both sounded at the same time. Both Hazel and Jaded eyes watched as the monkey scratched his cheek sheepishly.

"Well, I mean, look at you two!" Sun said, pointing to Subaru. "You're part of a group that actively hunts down Faunus like we're the next big game! I don't like the thought of that, but even a kid could tell you have your reasons!" Sun then pointed the staff to Garfiel. "And your no better! You joined a group of Human killers that actively kill and ransom children! Not cool, man!"

"So, yer not gonna help m'kill this freak?" Garfiel asked, his brain not processing fast enough. Nobody could say that Garfiel was the sharpest tool in the shed without being a complete liar.

"Nah, I'll stick with him this time!" Sun said, as he stretched his legs, getting ready to get back to fighting. "I mean, I did make a promise with Ruby, and if I don't keep it she'll be upset. When she's upset, Blake will be upset."

Garfiel bristled, his anger clear on his face. Without meaning to, he round house kicked the tree right next to him destroying its base. Grabbing the tree itself, he spun around and tossed it at a very surprised Sun, who narrowly dodged the incoming threat. Landing on the ground, he had to back flip to avoid a downwards kick sent Garfiel. Not letting up, Garfiel sweep kicked Sun, successfully landing a hit. Fortunately, Sun was able to use the staff to launch him further back, avoiding a side chop Garfiel sent.

For Subaru, this fight was too much for him. Sure, he had went up against the likes of Elsa and some of Volakia's finest, but whenever he had he always had someone with him. He was always with Regulus or his own grunts, who protected him with their lives. He had always used the powers of others to further his own goals, not his own. Now that he was alone, it made him realize how powerless he truly was.

Even with Sun, an Enigma to him, Subaru felt completely useless. Sure, he was probably going to be the one to finish Garfiel, but that was still due to the help of Sun. He didn't have the moves or abilities that these two monsters had, and that sent a bout of jealousy through his body.

So as he watched the two blondes jump and attack with a strength no normal human can attain, he swore to himself that he will one day gain that skill and power(4).

Sun sent an uppercut with his staff, stunning the raging blond. Following up, he sent his Staff downwards, aiming for Garfiel's face. Garfiel in turn grabbed the staff between his hand, attempting to pull it out of the monkeys hands. Sun didn't falter however, knowing that he would die if he did. Not letting go of the weapon, he used the force of the pull to jump over Garfiel and push him forward. Landing, he poked Garfiel in the back, who gave a roar of rage.

"Fine! 'F y'want t'fight like that then I won't hold back!" Garfiel yelled, throwing off his vest. Sun watched skeptically as Garfiel relaxed his body. With his eyes widening with adrenaline, Garfiel's body bulged and convulsed, golden hair grew all over his body. His teeth, as sharp as knives, turned into daggers as his legs cracked and bent back. His circular pupils turned vertical, and the ground around him cracked and deformed. Rocks floated in the air at the sheer power Garfiel was displaying.

"Dude! You were scary enough as you were! Please don't do this to me!" Sun begged as he watched the scene in apprehension. While it may be awe inspiring, Sun never wanted to ever see this again. From the core of his being, he felt like running, but couldn't. Shaking knees and chattering teeth was all he was able to do.

So when Subaru came out of nowhere, grabbing onto Garfiel with a victorious grin, he couldn't help but feel his fear dissipate. Garfiel didn't seem to notice until it was too late, as Subaru chanted the words of binding.

"Ur-Shamak!" Subaru yelled, the words containing a deep, dark magic seeping out from his body. Instinctively, Sun hopped away from the mist, able to tell being in it would be in a world of trouble. As the mist dissipated, Sun saw Subaru standing in front of Garfiel, his eyes cast downwards, drool seeping from his mouth. Walking forward, he gave Subaru a curious look.

"What did you do?" Sun asked, Subaru watching him from the corner of his eye.

"I removed all of Garfiel's senses. He's unable to tell what he's doing, where he's standing, or if he's even breathing." Subaru explained, Sun shocked by the revelation. That was a heck of a useful ability.

"He can be broken out of it, right?" Sun worriedly asked, not wanting a fellow Faunus death on his hands. Subaru glanced at him, before sighing. As stated above, he had a distaste for Non-Humans, but this one had at least saved his life. He would play kind for now.

"Of course." Subaru said as he cocked back his fist, two Unseen Hands forming inside his fist. "But I'm gonna knock him out of the game before then."

With that, Subaru let his fist fly, a direct uppercut with his regular fist. Next, his second fist enhanced that, letting him fly. The third hand however didn't punch him. No, it sunk its claws into him, tearing at his insides. Subaru watched as Garfiel flew through the air, landing out of sight of both Sun and Subaru, dead.

Sun didn't need to know that though.

"Holy crap! You hit hard!" Sun said in amazement, as he watched the body fly through the air, not knowing that he was dead. Again, it was better if he didn't know. Sun yielded his weapon to his back, Subaru gave him a look as Sun started tapping his foot. "So~ what now?"

"Isn't a giant Robot chasing Ruby and that other girl?" Subaru said, not a hint of amusement in his voice. Sun flinched at the tone, a total one eighty from the hyperactive voice during the fight. Something must have changed with that fight. Or was it because he was a Faunus? Something told Sun he didn't want to know.

"Uh, yeah." Sun said as he scratched the back of his head. "Are you sure you wanna go fight that thing though? From what I've seen of the girls, I'm sure that they'll be ok."

"Lets go just to make sure then." Subaru suggested. He started following the trail, his hands in his pockets and his face downcast.

"Awe god Dang it!" Sun said as he followed behind him.

"Freeze!" With a sudden flash of light, Subaru and Sun were blinded, the voice echoing throughout the are. "Put your weapons on the ground! Get on your knees with your hands in the air; NOW!"

"Well… crap!" Sun whined.

* * *

Vale

Downtown District

A Few Hours Later

What did it mean to be alive? Was it to live in the wealth of the world? Or struggle against a world that would like to see you dead? Or was it just moving forward, doing your best to survive? What was the meaning? Why does life even exist?

That was what Penny Polendina questioned herself as she ran from the church, a fire of hate and anguish brewing as she distanced herself from it. In her hands a child of unknown age, malnourished and beaten. A tinge of regret and panic filled her heart as he cried for the young Nun left behind in that burning building.

Penny had miscalculated by many digits. She had thought she was facing only one opponent, yet as the battle had dragged on, she was greeted with many other hooded figures, each as skilled as the last. While by no means was she unable to deal with the growing threat, she had to also protect the child in her arms. So with quick thinking, Penny had ran out the building, the hooded figures setting fire to the run down church. It filled her with sadness that she was unable to save those within, but her main concern right now was the Child.

With another jump, she landed on a cars hood, startling the occupants within. She needed to plan. She needed to find a way to get this child to safety before these criminals get to them. Using the GPS implanted in her head, she looked for the nearest police station or Atlas Outpost. While this was indeed Vale, due to recent events Atlas had taken occupation in the Kingdom, bringing their military arsenal to show the world how Atlas will bring peace to the world.

Unknown to Penny, this had the opposite effect. The locals saw the floating ships in the Sky as a declaration of War. Apprehension ran through the air of Vale as they waited for the first set of bombing to take place. Families strayed from Atlas personnel, street rats harassed the local outposts, and an over all chaos had erupted between Vale and Atlas. Of course, this had been covered up to stop fear from escalating to other Kingdoms, as with fear came the creatures of Grimm.

"You should really pay attention to your surroundings." A voice spoke up above her. Dashing forward, Penny narrowly avoided three daggers being imbedded into her back. The person in the car however was not as lucky. The honk of a horn sounded as the once living body landed on the wheel. Landing on another car, Penny looked at her opponent. Masked in all black, a cloak covering her features, was a woman who went by the name Purpura. In Latin, that would translate to purple. Yet, Purpura was also a name of a rash, that Penny couldn't help but to attribute to this woman. "Now look what you made me do. This poor man could have went home to his family, yet because of you he had to meet his untimely demise here."

Penny didn't respond, feelings of sadness and regret gripped her steel heart as she heard the cries of pedestrians who saw the atrocious crime the woman had just committed. Pulling out the bloodied dagger, the woman smiled at Penny, not thinking twice of the blood she had spilled.

"I'll make you an offer." Purpura said, catching Penny's attention. "If you hand over the boy, we'll let you go. Our mission was to quiet him, not kill random bystanders." Purpura lifted the dagger to her face. "Of course, if you intend to continue this farce then I would be happy to oblige."

"No." Penny responded without any hesitation. Holding the child closer to her protectively, she glared at Purpura. Wordlessly, Swords came out of her back, and shot out behind her latching onto building far behind her. Pulling her back, she could see the surprised gasp leave Purpura mouth as she continued to distance herself.

"Crap!" Purpura yelled as she dashed towards the mechanical girl. If she lost sight of them, there was no guarantee that they would be able to track them down again, unless the Witch decided to step in. "We need to kill them!"

Almost like magic, a few Cult members appeared besides her, tossing daggers at the girl. Swords of levitation struck down those daggers though, the girl controlling them. When Purpura had first started her attack on the robot, she thought that this would be a fun battle, toying with her until she ran. Instead, the girl had proved to be not only a worthy opponent, one that could beat her if she truly tried. It scared her how someone so young could be so skilled. Was every child in Remnant like her?

Penny watched as her attackers drew farther away from her, yet she felt no happiness. Many had lost their lives tonight, and she could not save those who moved on. Her sole purpose in life was tarnished in a matter of seconds, yet this feeling would last a lifetime.

Hearing the distinct sounds of clothing moving in the wind, she gave a chance look up, and ended up grateful. As what laid in wait above her was none other more of the hooded beings, their arms drew back in preparation of throwing the spears of death. As the daggers flew through the air, a whistling sound penetrated her ears as they cut through air. Using three of her swords, she cut past the daggers. Gasping in shock, another dagger was hidden behind of its brother. Not having enough time to deflect the attack, she pulled herself towards a skyscraper, receiving damage to her right leg. Luckily it wasn't anything serious, just her skin being peeled off, revealing metal underneath.

With a swing, she turned, using the GPS to find the fastest way to the Atlas military Outpost. Onlookers below watched in amazement, not realizing the dangers that that awaited them if those daggers fell. A hard turn as she swung around another building, the boys shriek of fear frightening her. Holding him tighter, she flew, only to be stopped as more cloaked individuals jumped from the shadows, blocking her way. Throwing more daggers, she repelled them once again, prepared for the one that hid behind the other.

Instead of moving however, Penny stayed stalk still, two of her blades in two adjacent buildings suspending her in the air. It wasn't like she could move however, as she was surrounded by hooded men and woman, all wielding daggers. The crowd below them became more prevalent as time passed, civilians getting out of their cars, taking pictures and making videos. Penny had an internal crisis at this, as with more people formed around them, the more danger she was bringing to Vale.

"You could have just given him to us." Purpura said as she slid out of the shadows, her smile twisted and corrupted. It didn't take a genius to realize she was enjoying this, nor did it take a good Samaritan to detest her for it. "Now we have all these citizens as spectators, but that won't do. If word gets out of our deeds, then it would cause trouble for my husband." Her smile grew more demented. "So like good Shepherds, we must clear the herd!"

As those words left Purpura's mouth, the hooded threats all threw their daggers at the pedestrians down below. Panicking, Penny used her eight remaining blades to continually deflect the daggers that rained from the sky. If she could sweat, she would be sweating buckets by now at how much stress was being transmitted through her receptors. Sparks flew as the sound of metal meeting metal sounded out in the air. Most Daggers were deflected, but the unlucky few that made it through hit their mark, causing the sound of tearing flesh and screams of pain to fill the air.

As the daggers ceased their fall, Penny concentrated on finding a way of this situation. She couldn't stay any longer as the reason the pedestrians were being killed was because of her. It only took nanoseconds to find a back alley that would lead to the Atlas outpost. Dashing, she landed on the ground, the wires in her legs pumping and forcing her to move forward.

"Perfect." Purpura said from afar, the plan working quite well.

Penny heard the distinct sound of cloth in the air again, and the Screech of metal against wind. On instinct, Penny used the swords to pull herself back, avoiding the daggers.

"Ahhhh!"

A screech reached her ears. A bloodcurdling, pained screech that was all to near for her to bear. Fear gripped her metal heart as she shakenly glanced down to the boy in her arms. A dagger, as wide as her arm, was embedded in the boys stomach. A silent scream coming out of his mouth, his face contorted in pain and agony.

"No…" Penny painfully said, disbelief in her green eyes. Moving ever so slightly, she did her best not to move the boy, yet that seemed to be the most he could endure. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and Penny could sense his heart come to a stop. Agony gripped her heart, as his lifeless eyes stared into oblivion.

"I believe I did tell you to give us the boy." Purpura said as she walked behind Penny. A smile of demented glee and sadness graced her face. She didn't take joy in killing kids, but she did enjoy watching someone break. She hated continuously torturing someone when you could just kill them, sure, but this wasn't that case. This girl willingly broke herself by getting involved. "If you hadn't gotten involved, you may not be feeling this regret right now. The regret of failure. The regret that because of you that child will die. Finally, regret that you ever involved yourself with us." Purpura said, walking in front of Penny, who held the child close to her chest. "I am sorry, but now that you've seen what we can do, and who we are, I must send you to the other side. May your soul find rest in the ever spanning abyss."

"I will protect you…" It was with these words that Purpura realized her mistake. A mistake she will regret for the rest of her life. While Purpura had been talking, praying for her soul to pass with ease, Penny had been moving. Ever so slightly, her blades had crept up on Purpura. And in a flash of words, three cut through her stomach. The rest to the Cult members around her grunted in pain as more blades entered through their backs.

"I will protect you…" With these final words, Penny dropped the kid, and began her rampage.

* * *

Vale

Beacon Academy

Same Time

General Ironwood was having a very, very stressful day.

It all started from a call from Glynda Goodwitch, a comrade in the ongoing war against Sa-… Grimm. News from Qrow had come in, and it had been less than reassuring. While most of the report had been gibberish only able to be understood by Ozpin, one small detail had indeed been troubling news.

The Witch Cult was on the move.

Apparently it wasn't only Qrow who had reported this either, as other informants across the world of Remnant had reported the same. Assassinations of important political figures, village purging and more had been noted by Ozpin. Usually this was a problem for the World Above, as the Cult was not of this world. Yet as the barriers between this world and that slowly crumbled, a worrying thought seemed to cross Ironwoods mind.

What if the Cult was working with the enemy?

The Cult was a unpredictable and terrifying force. They never seemed to have one leader to coincide with, not one vision to rally behind, even disputes between themselves being common place in the World Above. That was the only reason why the World Above hadn't already been torn asunder. So when the thought that they may be coming together under one mind came to his attention, a deep fear gripped his heart. Stress and fatigue seemed to take his mind.

Then news that his latest project, Penny Polendina, had went missing. Again. That did the job of causing bags to grow under his eyes. Ironwood had immediately sent out an order to find and bring her back. To this very moment, he had yet to receive an all clear.

"I really need to put a tracker on that girl." Ironwood said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Sighing, he looked into the distance, the shining lights of Vale flashing in an incandescent light. It was truly alluring, how beautiful the city was in this time of War. While the citizens rested peacefully, those in the shadows protected them from the dangers of the night.

"I hope that didn't mean what I think it did, Ironwood." Looking behind him, Ironwood gave a charming smile to the blonde beauty of Vale, Glynda Goodwitch.

"I'm sure you are just misinterpreting what I said." Ironwood said, Glynda standing next to him. It was calming standing up here, like none of the world's problems existed. "I was just thinking about Penny Polendina."

"Ah, you're current 'project'" Glynda remarked, distaste in that last word. "I don't understand your need to keep a eye on her twenty-four-seven. The girl is fully capable of protecting herself as demonstrated with the battle against Torchwick. If anything, she deserves a little space after that."

"Personal Space isn't the problem, Glynda." Ironwood said, walking along the cliff of Beacon. The slight sound of a heel tapping against metal indicated she was following, so he continued. "Penny isn't a normal girl. She's an android created with Atlas science. She's over trusting and over curious. Even if she can protect herself, she isn't ready for the real world yet."

"The more I hear you talk, the more I see an overprotective father." Goodwitch teased, a small blush adoring Ironwoods face. "Don't worry so much about her, Ironwood. I'm sure that she just wants to see the world she had been birthed into. To see what the other Kingdoms have to offer." Goodwitch looked downcast, a saying which Ozpin said not too long ago running through her head. "This may be the last chance she may ever get."

Ironwood didn't respond. Silence overtook the area as he delved into deep thought. He knew what Goodwitch said was right, but he couldn't help but be overprotective. While the honor of being her father went to the scientist that created her, he couldn't help but see her as a daughter himself. It may have only been a year since her creation, but she had been such a breath of fresh air that Ironwood came to enjoy her company. Even if at the time she was a little problematic. Worry was a thing when she disappeared, as no one would know what happened to her.

It also wasn't just a parental worry that grabbed at his heart either. On a logical level, Penny Polendina, even though she was but a year old, was probably the most skilled of her generation. With no exaggeration, Ironwood was sure she could give Pyrrha Nikos a run for her money. If that was possible, imagine the years following, when Penny realized her true abilities and put them to use. She would be a formidable force against the creatures of Grimm, and the ones in control.

With a sigh, Ironwood turned to the sprawling city once more, a face full of calm. Maybe Glynda was right. In the coming years she may not experience this happiness again. She would just become what Ironwood initially wanted: a emotionless killing machine.

"You may be right." Ironwood admitted, swaying to her words. Glynda smiled as she turned to the city, content with her work today. A few minutes passed before Ironwood gave a nervous cough, his stomach growling. "U-Um. Ms. Goodwitch, I know it's a little more than late, but would you care to join m-"

A series of beeps caught his attention, as his watch flashed a bright red. Bringing up his left hand, he clicked a series of buttons. Eye's widening in disbelief, he reread the alert on his watch, confirming what he read was right. Without warning, Ironwood stomped off in a panic, heading for the nearest Atlas airship.

"Hey, Ironwood! What's wrong!?" Goodwitch asked, keeping up with his brisk pace. Ironwood glanced over, the face he held being enough to tell her nothing good had happened. Looking forward, Ironwood continued his speedy pace.

"Penny Polendina has activated a secret phase in her programming." Ironwood admitted, shocking Goodwitch. "While her Aura confirms that she does have a soul, at first I didn't want that. I wanted a killing machine, so I had a backup program installed to cut off all emotional attachment when introduced to extreme stress or sadness. She would become the ideal killing machine against the Grimm. So much so I'm not sure if I could win a fight against her."

Ironwood looked at the city through the corner of his eyes, a foreboding feeling of despair overtaking him. Why did he have that program implemented? Looking back, it was a horrible decision. To mess with a living beings emotions like that was only something a person of the night would do. To manipulate them to benefit others… it was truly vile.

"We call this program: Marionette."

* * *

Vale

Downtown District

Same Time

"Where are those useless, selfish chess pieces!?" Regulus said, stomping as he followed the path of destruction left by the fight. Blood and glass littered the street, as bodies laid here and there. From the looks of it, this could have been described as a war zone, but Regulus knew better. He had set fire to many towns and capitals in the past, so this was no different. Sure, to the average person, this would have been disturbing, but to him this was business. There was no need to cry over spilled milk. "Seriously! They could have at least left me a Grunt to harass! Purpura knows I'm not able to use most of my abilities right now!"

That's right, since Regulus only had one wife left, he wasn't able to use any of his abilities. Well, that technically wasn't true. If he so wished it, he could use all of his abilities, but it would have put strain on Purpura, who was his last pair of batteries before he needed to get more. If she died while outside of combat, he would be no better than Subaru. Actually, considering the circumstances, he would be worse off than Subaru. He had stolen abilities from Betelgeuse, which made him formidable to a point.

Looking around, he did have to appreciate how empty the streets were. Due to the battle that had taken place, civilians had decided to take shelter inside or flat out run away. Of course there were a few stragglers who decided to take this chance to loot the city. Honestly, it was disgusting how greedy people could be in times of need.

The daggers of Cult members ingrained in the sidewalk brought him to a stray alleyway. Slash marks littered the walls, indicating the battle had followed through here. Sneering, he couldn't help but take in the disgusting sight that it held. Trash and beer glasses littered the sides, even though a dumpster was right next to it. Daggers laid in the ground and walls, as Cult members bodies lied dead.

"Cult Members?" Regulus asked himself, ignoring his disgust for the horrible alley way, he walked in to evaluate the scene. Five bodies laid out in total, more being on the other side. At first glance, they were all Cult members, blood pouring out of their uniforms. However, as he looked over one of the bodies, he noticed that it had a smaller figure, and his face was revealed. A dagger hung from his stomach, unlike the other members. Looking him over, he noticed that it was a child. "Ah, they succeeded the mission. Congratulations Cult, your sacrifice was not in vain."

"R-R-Regulus?" A familiar voice spoke, her tone weak and desperate. Golden eyes widened as he turned to the many desecrated bodies in the alley, one of which was shaking furiously. Running over, he rolled the familiar cloaked figure over, her uniform wide open, revealing burn marks on multiple parts of her body. The smell of burnt flesh hit his nostrils, telling him that this was recent. "A-A-Ah… you're ok… I'm glad…"

"Purpura!?" Regulus called, unbelieving. This was his final wife, the one who stuck by him when all else betrayed him. For him, it didn't matter if she loved him or not; she stayed by his side when no one else would. Whoever did this was going to pay. "Don't move! I'll fly us to a nearby hospital, so just hold onto me!"

"N-n-No!" Purpura said, pushing away Regulus, even if it didn't have that much force. This was worrying for Regulus, as she never disagreed with him before. "I-i-I-I c-can tell m-my time has come. I-I was able to burn m-my wounds close, but I c-can feel my i-insides destroyed. T-there is no hope for me…"

"Shut up, Purpura!" Regulus commanded, his voice shaky. He had never felt this kind of emotion before: Sadness, anger, and denial. Grabbing her hand, he looked at her cloaked face. "You are going to live! I am going to make sure of that! Now just hold on while I fly us to th-"

"My Love." Purpura interrupted, a normally grave sin for those who did so. Regulus breath hitched, having never been interrupted by Purpura before. "I-I am dying, and no amount of healing will stop the wounds. My organs are a mess, and my heart is fading. I can feel the end creep up on my very soul." She tightened her grip on Regulus' hand, a smile on her face. "Use the last of my strength to finish our mission."

"W-What!?" Regulus asked, a lump forming in his throat. Why was he getting so choked up by someone replaceable like Purpura? "I-I… but-"

"No buts, Love." Purpura said, her smile widening, a softness that could only be granted when looking at a loved one. "We mustn't fail our mission. If we do so, then Sir Pride would have been right in assuming we shouldn't have split up. For now, focus on the task at hand."

Regulus stared, wet stains marking his face, disgracing his holy visage. Purpura smiled at this, he lilac eyes holding unshed tears that she refrained from letting out. She mustn't be weak now, not when they were almost there. Another step closer to Regulus' true desire. Swallowing her greed, she smiled once more to the man she swore her heart to.

"Go, my love, use me to your hearts content. This is my final gift to you, my heart. Find the girl, and kill her. Make as many wives as you need to, live forever, and find your true desire." Purpura smiled at him, the lump in her throat growing. "I'm happy you kidnapped me from my castle. I'm happy you treated me like I was no one special. I'm happy I came to know you, and you to I. I love you, my sweetest."

Regulus couldn't help the hiccup that accompanied that speech, as he finally realized that this was the end. The long journey between them Finally coming to an end. He could still see it, the first night with Purpura, him and Subaru chatting away about their lives over a bonfire. Laughter filling the air in a joyful moment of peace and solidarity. The smell of cooked meat as the Cult chugged and ate with glee. Regulus could tell those happy moments were finally coming to an end.

And it hurt so, so much.

"I love you too." Regulus said as he leaned down, kissing the second woman he ever truly fell for. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he left that tender kiss, placing her hand on her bare chest, a memory of peace flashing through his eyes once more. Closing them, he stood, and slowly floated away, in search for his prey.

Purpura laid there, feeling her heart beat faster as each second that passed. Her god known as Regulus floating away to the distance, to finish the mission that was assigned to them. It broke her heart, how he cried for her. While Purpura did enjoy the knowledge that her love would cry for her (who wouldn't), it also hurt to see such a pained expression. Regulus was the representation of Greed, he shouldn't be making such a sorrowful face.

"Maybe I'm being to greedy." Purpura thought to herself, her mind a jumbled mess of memories. Pride, her and Regulus walking along the path, chatting intimately. Those were truly good times; memories of when she wasn't the princess trapped in that castle. The day when Regulus came and kidnapped her was the day when she started to truly feel alive. It may have been caused by Stockholm syndrome, but she could care less. She was happy, right down to her spoiled bone.

With that, she closed her eyes, passing with glorious bliss.

* * *

Vale

Downtown District

Same Time

It hadn't taken too long to find his lovers murderer. Having the ability to fly and go through objects had its uses. Spotting the battle raging on below, he nose dived towards his opponent, not bothering to make any grand speech. One of his wives had died and he was seeking revenge.

Landing in the ground, he could see that all of the Cult members had been cut down. No matter where he looked, blood, bodies broken glass, and daggers littered the streets. If he was anybody else, this might have been a scene straight out of hell. For him? This was Sunday morning practice.

A lone girl sat in the middle of this, rocking back and forth with tears trailing her eyes. Blood covered her dress, soaking in crimson, making it reflect off the light that surrounded the area. Truly, a pitiful sight, but Regulus didn't share that sentiment. This was of her own doing. If she had stayed away from them, then maybe she might've lived. Maybe Purpura wouldn't have to die.

His eyes widening in anger, he wordlessly lifted his hand, ready to slash down. This was for himself. For the Cult members. This was for Purpura.

With that, he brought down his hand, the wind traveling in an instant, cutting her in half. The building behind her sustaining damage, as well as the ground near her. Blood sprayed everywhere, Regulus' revenge having been completed, leaving only a feeling of emptiness.

That was how it should have happened. Instead, only the ground and building sustained any significant damage. The girl however, had dodged, using her blades to latch onto some buildings to drag her through the air. Regulus' surprised gaze watched in fascination as she floated upwards, similar to his own ability. Except she was physical, and he was in a completely different dimension.

The song of blades against wind reached his ears, causing him to glance to the left. He only had a split second to see the object, the blade that cut through his body without any resistance. Looking to the right, he was surprised by how fast the blade had traveled, being much faster than in the Chapel. He knew, if he was physical, he would have been dead by now. Watching the girl, he knew how much of a threat this girl was to the Cult. If she were to go against Pride, Sloth, Gluttony, or even Wrath, they would be done for in an instant. She needed to be eliminated tonight.

With that in mind, Regulus floated into the air, the glare he wore being enough to kill kings. Raising his hand, he once again made a slashing motion. Even before he did that, she dodged out if the way, predicting his move. Regulus sneered at that. This lowly excuse for a being knowing what he would do disgusted him. In retaliation, eight blades raised themselves in the air, slashing and stabbing at where he was. The girls futile attempts to kill him fruitless.

With another raise of his hand, he slashed horizontally, aiming to cut her in half. As expected, she dodged. The blades continued to cut at where he was, but to no avail. It continued to irritate him that she still lived, flying without a care in the world.

Thinking of a strategy, he held his right hand over his head, while his left was near his pelvis. Grinning, he made a wide circular motion with the two, left ending up over his head while the right was near his pelvis. In an instant, the wind currents dashed forward to the girl, aiming to cut her to pieces. Predicting this, the girl drew in her swords, and balled herself up to avoid the currents. Regulus grinned, the girl falling right into his trap.

Dashing forward, through her blades, he grabbed her face. Continuing forward, he dragged her along one of the many skyscrapers in the city. Sparks flew as her body was shredded, glass shattering upon impact. Yet she did not scream, a fact that irritated Regulus beyond belief.

Coming to a stop on the roof, he held her up by her face, her glowing green eyes staring at him through the cracks in his fingers. Tears soaked his hands as he floated, both wanting nothing more than to kill each other here. Bringing up his hand, he was brought back by all the memories of Purpura. How he stole her from that castle in the mountains. How he treated her before and after his wives betrayed him. How their journeys together were some of the most fond memories in his long life.

"I hope you go to hell." Regulus swore, bringing down his hand in rage and sorrow.

Blood covered her dress even more, a splash of paint that would stain this world forever. Yet, it wasn't her blood that stained, but his. Shaking, he glanced down to the eight swords sticking through his gut. He could feel his arms give out as a silent scream passed his mouth. Looking at his killer, he could see the tears flowing endlessly, yet her eyes were lifeless. It filled him with loathing that a girl this young would be the end of him. With shaking arms, he grabbed her neck, attempting to choke her. He was forced to let go however when the swords penetrating his body left his back, leaving him to fall to his death.

'So, this is it?' Regulus thought to himself, all emotion leaving his body. The feeling of the wind against his back felt good, but terrifying at the same time. 'After all I've done in this long life, this is how my tale comes to an end? Battling in a World not of my own, out matched by some girl who could kill all the Archbishops? What a horrible way to kill off such a important figure like me.'

Yet Regulus couldn't find it in himself to be mad. All he felt was emptiness. Like something precious had been ripped from his heart. With a small smile, he realized what it was. It was the reason why he was falling to his death right now. The reason why this past year had been so fun. The reason why his selfishness was slowly becoming selflessness.

Purpura had moved on already.

His heart had returned to him, cutting off all ties to power in that split second. He could have continued, but he doubted his heart would be able to handle the strain. It felt weird having his own heart back in his body, as it hadn't been like this for centuries. The feel of wind, the need to breath, it was so strange for him.

His long, long life flashed before his eyes. His childhood crush forced into wedding by him, the bullies and villagers he killed for her. The many, many wives he had taken over the years. The battles over the decades just for survival. The day he kidnapped Purpura. The day Pride had joined the Cult. The day they bad been cornered and he was betrayed. The many memories of traveling with Purpura, Subaru and the Grunts, singing and chatting along the way. He couldn't help but smile, even through the bad.

'Ah! I forgot!' Regulus thought as the ground quickly approached him. 'I won't get to talk to you about the Silver Eyes, Subaru. I hope you can forgive me for this.' Regulus thought, the feel of wind pressure hitting his back. 'Please, don't avenge me. Follow your hearts desire. For you and Purpura have already granted me mine. I'm sure we will meet again, and Pururpa, you and I can go on another grand journey.'

With that, the Archbishop representing Greed of the Witches Sect, Regulus Corneas, passed away, his last thoughts being a selfless wish for a friend.

* * *

Vale

Interrogation Room at the Local Police Station

Same Time

"Ugh, I'm bored." Subaru said as he laid his face on the table within the interrogation room. The cold steel caused him to flinch, but he didn't move, as the cool table felt good to him. It was weird being in an interrogation room and him not being the interrogator. Not that he did many interrogations, but it was still worth noting. Ever since Subaru and Sun had been arrested, they had been separated and put in two different rooms. At first it had been a relentless barrage of questions that could leave an intelligent man dazed. He had answered them all truthfully, as there was no reason to lie. It hadn't lasted long before they both left, presumably to question Sun Wukong. Slamming a fist on the table, sitting up, Subaru let a frustrated groan out. "Now it's been freaking hours in this windowless hell! At least give me something to do while you screw off!"

Truly it was a drab experience. It had gotten to the point Subaru thought of killing himself to escape in that cop car, but thought against it. Subaru didn't enjoy dying, no matter the case, so if he could avoid it he would. The second thing that stopped him was the chance that the save point didn't move, and he didn't want to go against Garfiel again, especially since he succeeded in killing him. The third and final thing that stopped him was the chance that it just set him back a few hours, when he was put in here, so that was a big no thank you.

"What's taking so lo~ng!" Subaru groaned, leaning back in his chair. Surprisingly they hadn't kept him cuffed, like they had trust that he wouldn't try running away. It was either that or they believed in their abilities to detain him if needed. They were probably right on both accounts. Putting his hands behind his head, he whistled out a tune that came to his mind. It was something that a bard played at an inn one time. Truly he was a talented man. Even Regulus had seemed impressed in his own weird way. "Speaking of Regulus, I wonder how he's doing. He'd probably be laughing his ass off right now if he saw me."

Almost as he said that, a weird tingle tickled the back of his neck. A feeling that he hadn't felt in years, but a sensation he'ok never forget. That night, all those years ago, when he snuck up on Betelgeuse and stabbed him in the back. The feeling of power seeping into him, granting him a new ability that he would have to discover. Flexing his hand, he clasped it closed with force, a smile on his face.

"So another Archbishop has died, huh?" Subaru said, a feeling of satisfaction overtaking him. While he did work with the other Archbishops, that didn't mean he liked any of them. "Actually, now that I think of it, none of us actually like each other, huh? The only reason why Regulus and I get along so much is because I was there when his wives betrayed him. I don't know what lead to what, but I'm happy we became best friends. Everyone else is always trying to kill the others though. Last I heard, Lust and Sloth had torn each other a new one. Wish I was there for that one." Subaru chuckled at the thought of two practical immortals fighting each other. Lust had the ability to heal any portion of her body, even if her head was cut off or heart destroyed she'd be fine. Subaru already had a plan for killing her though if need be. All he'd need is some rope, a shovel, a ditch and some leaves.

"So, now I know I absorb Archbishop powers even when I didn't kill them." Subaru thought, messing with his hair. This Absorption ability was actually pretty neat if that was the case. If any of them died in battle, he would always be the benefit.

Frowning, he couldn't help but think who exactly died. Taking out his Gospel, he checked if anything new was written, yet it still held the same verse as before. Snapping it closed, he pocketed it later for further evaluation. Right now he needed to think of who died, so he knew who exactly died. Yet as he tried to narrow down the list, all he could think about were the Gluttons. Sure, that would be better for the world, but he didn't want to constantly be hungry. The more he thought about it though, those are the only plausible ones he could think that died. Everyone else was just too powerful to kill.

"Well, maybe Reg…. PFFFFT!" Subaru choked, laughing at the thought of that Greedy guy dying. He was so greedy that he would steal someone else's life just to live longer. Well, that's what he did for a century, so maybe that was the case. As the laughter died down though, he couldn't help but think of the possibility. If Purpura died, then Regulus would have been weaker than Subaru, thus the possibility of him dying wasn't out of the realm of reality. "I wonder what I'd do if he died…"

It was a question that passed his mind more than once in his life. In the past, he would have cared less if Regulus died or not. Now though? Sure, they were best friends, but he wasn't sure what he would do. If someone was strong enough to kill him, then he'd probably wouldn't stand a chance in killing them. He would probably feel a deep sadness, but he wasn't sure if he could bring himself to hate the killer. "Of course, that's what if. I'd probably go on a killing spree if he died."

"Ah, did I come at the wrong time?"

Shaken out of if his stupor, Subaru fell back in his chair. Rubbing his head, he pulled himself up, a bruise already forming on his head. Looking at the silent intruder, he couldn't help but compare him to a wise old wizard. With small round optical, black and green suit that seemed to radiate wonder, and befitting Gray hair, Subaru was sure he would stand out in a crowd, even with the black clothing. A coffee mug rested in his right hand, while a cane held in his left.

"Ugh, no, I was just thinking out Loud to myself." Subaru admitted. There was no need to hide the truth, especially if he already heard his twisted thought.

"I completely understand. If one of my students were to die on my watch, I'm not sure how I would react either." The man admitted, like he was reading Subaru's mind. Sitting back down, the old man followed Subaru's movements.

"I'm sorry if I sound a little rude, but who are you? You don't look like a interrogator." Subaru said, trying to find out who he was. As Subaru had said, he looked far from the part of an interrogator, hell even a cop. Maybe he was off duty but decided to have a round at Subaru?

"Ah, my apologies. I completely forgotten to introduce myself." The Old Man said, setting his cane and mug down in the table. "My name is Ozpin, and I am the Headmaster of the Hunter School, Beacon Academy. It is nice to meet you."

* * *

1) **A little theory of mine. If you watch the episodes with the Unseen Hand in it, you'd be able to notice it had incredible strength, even when not gripping anyone- IE the fact that it just touched Julius and it went into his arm. That's enough reason for me to believe that if it were to be thrown like a punch, it would do significant damage. I would like opinions on this though.**

2) **Heh. Puns.**

3) **It's apart of Subaru's background in this fic. Spoiler.**

4) **HAHAHAHAHAHA! Maybe.**

* * *

 **Regulus Corneas: Deceased**

 **Magic User: Unknown/Authority of Greed**

 **Strength: Unknown**

 **Speed: Unknown**

 **Durability: E**

 **Endurance: E (Without using his Authority)**

 **Intelligence: C-B**

 **Authority of Greed: This ability, dubbed by some as a cheat, allows the user to replace his physical being in a different dimension, causing all physical and supernatural phenomenon to pass through him. It also allows him to cause the slight movements, like wind currents, to move with light speed, cutting through anything the object touches. The drawback however is that it causes his heart to take substantial damage. To remedy this, he replaces his own heart with one of his wives, who are usually forced to agree to marry him.**

 **Who wields this power now is unknown, but it is assumed the Archbishop of Pride has stolen another ability for his own.**

* * *

World of Remnant: Magic

 **There's a lot of crazy and wacky stuff here in Remnant. Some strange, others, well, not so strange. But if there had to be a King of Strange and Crazy stuff, it would have to be Magic.**

 **While most of Remnant doesn't know of this weird and, as Oz would put it, mystical power that some rare individuals seem to have, those that do tend too not be from this world. This other world doesn't have a name, or really exist in this dimension, but that doesn't stop stragglers from somehow finding their way here. How this all works is a story for another time though.**

 **Magic, as the people from The World Above like to call it, is like the opposite of Aura. While with Aura you train your hardest to use and unlock your semblance, Magic goes the opposite route. Magic unlocks the equivilant to Semblance, Divine Protections, at birth and you have to work your way into using Magic. Both Magic and Aura can strengthen the body to inhumane levels, but that takes time and dedication. Aura is sort of the opposite in that aspect, allowing the persons body to be strengthened off the bat, while their Semblance needs to be unlocked through trial and error.**

 **Like Semblance, Divine Protections grant an individual a unique power. From enhanced speed, strengthened bodies, to even being able to see the materials a object was made from. Truly, Magic is a strange and mystical power.**

* * *

 **I freaking hinted at Regulus falling to his death really hard last chapter. When Subaru says "I don't want to see you plastered on the street." Yeah. Pretty predictable huh?**

 **I can't believe I killed off two of my favorite Re Zero characters. No joke, it hurt writing that as much as I re-read it. But, this is all part of my elaborate scheme to change the events of RWBY and Re:Zero so forgive me. Honestly, I can feel the readers clicking off of this as they read this, not only due to the piss poor writing style (which I hope is improving) but also the fact of Garfiel and Regulus' demise. But, that was to show that I will kill off characters if it helps the story, so watch out RWBY readers- You're next!**

 **In all serious though this was just a set up. Their deaths will have meaning, and this won't be the last time you'll see them. Not alive, but probably mentioned in passing or a flashback (Oh I hate flashbacks). Enough with the sad talk about my two favorite characters of all time being killed by my hand (sob), let's point out some flaws!**

 _ **Story Rant**_

 ***Forgot to mention, Black Fang was added because I like to have opposites. Not only that, but it astounds me that while the White Fang cuts and stabs humans, they do nothing to retaliate. I think a group who's soul purpose is to mock them is interesting.**

 **Oh boy! I could feel the amount of people going "What! Bullshit!" in this chapter. Let me first say before I continue, I fully agree. A lot of it was Bullshit. Well, sort of. I have my reasoning's behind each fight. Let's start with Subaru and Sun vs Garfiel shall we?**

 **Ok, let's start with the biggest change to this fight; Garfiel. Garfiel, admittedly, has been downgraded from his Canon counterpart. This is due to his past that I established. Instead of living in Lugnica for most of his life, honing his abilities to a T, he has been in Remnant, for the most part doing the same, except not. He thought he was a good level when he entered… I can't say. So going against Sun, he was sort of getting beat up on. This wasn't due to his lack of speed or anything either; he's been trying to use his brain throughout it all. Coming out a fight with Subaru, who used his brains for everything, it was off putting going back to instinct fights. In the long run if that fight though, Garfiel would have won. It's when he tried transforming when he made his mistake, thus his death.**

 **Now Sun. I tried my best not to buff him, and I think I succeeded in that aspect. Sun is a fighter who jumps around a lot, as seen during SSSN vs NDGO. He is also quick with his hands, as seen with Roman Vs Sun. He is a straight up formidable fighter, and I actually think he could stand up to a good number of RWBY and Re:Zero characters. He's just that good. Why I didn't use his Semblance? That requires concentration, and he just needed to distract Garfiel.**

 **Here's the fun one, Subaru. I have a few things I need to say about him for this chapter. When I wrote the first chapter, I planned him to be this really, really dark hearted guy who kills for fun. While writing this chapter though, I sort of back tracked. I thought "Would that even work?" so I thought and thought, and changed him a little. He is still merciless, but he doesn't kill for fun. He is heartless when he needs to be, but that's it. He is still not a good guy, but if he could avoid killing, he would. The thing is though, is that he doesn't know why killing is bad. Over these millions of loops, his morality has been so twisted that he forgot why killing is bad. He knows other people don't enjoy it, but generally doesn't know why. This will become a recurring struggle as time passes, as other characters try to set him straight. He is also a good leader, but a nonhuman hater. This will also become a problem as time passes, but don't worry, it won't be straight paragraphs of him just dissing Faunus and ever Demi-Human. It will mostly be him treating them badly, unless they prove themselves not to fit his stereotyping. God this is going to be difficult to deal with. Wish me luck!**

 **Now, for Subaru and his fighting style. He is still incredibly weak, so for those who like the weak main character, don't worry, he's still there. However, he is slightly more competent than his Canon counterpart. Actually, he's like his part 6 counterpart- more of a leader, and can handle himself against other villains. He's just much darker, killing when he thinks the threat is too much for them to live. He uses his brain more than his body, making the fights for him really interesting. I have so many ideas for him.**

 **Now here's the problem with writing for him. When he gets in a fight, we know who won before it even starts, since he's way to determined to just say "Ok! You win!" And run. So, I thought, and thought, and finally came up with a solution. This idea was going to be in Scenario (I might rewrite that in the future. I've created a freaking storyline for it, So I don't wanna give up just yet), but I decided to put it in here too. Subaru soul is slowly deteriorating.**

 **What I mean by that? Well, think about it. Subaru's very soul is being killed, reaped by the reaper, and dragged back in time. It's slowly killing his very being. This will be shown as time passes, like hallucinations, and things he didn't realize he was doing. Once he realizes what going on, he'll start being extremely cautious. Of course how he finds out is to be seen, but I can't wait to write that scene.**

 **Now for Penny Vs Regulus… there's not much to be said. They're both powerful, Penny using her processors to realize how dangerous Regulus is, and Regulus being untouchable. I initially planned on Regulus surviving and having a conversation with Subaru later about the fight, but with this it helps me develop the characters and have some conflict between characters. Character conflict is what keeps a story interesting, so this'll be fun. God, Subaru may end up being the most hated character out of this by the end.**

 **Hmm. Is that it? Feels like it.**

 _ **Personal Rant**_

 **Ok, I'm having a little trouble with a couple things. Let me start with the fights. While I enjoy writing them and using characters abilities to their fullest to see who lives. The problem with this is that I like character conflict too. So from here on, most fights will hold a lot of dialogue too. So expect things like Garfiel's fight and less of Regulus' fight. The next one I'm planning might be like Regulus' though, considering how difficult it is for Subaru.**

 **The next is Subaru's personality. As I said, I have it all figured out now, but it's gonna be difficult to get anyone to truly like him. I forgot to say last chapter too, but the reason why he talks formally to strangers is because he doesn't know them, but warms up as time goes on. I'm hoping to properly convey that as time goes on. I might not be able to though.**

 **I don't want to admit it either, but I sort of rely on support from others to continue writing this. The four of you guys who reviewed pushed me forward to continue. Those that followed and favorited helped me write a second chapter. I want to continue. I love writing this, but I get emotionally depressed when I think no one likes it, so I thank you guys for supporting this. It helps my depression out. Thank you guys.**

 **P.S. I had to scrap the story again, now I have a solid ending and a build up to it.**

 **Anyways that's it. See you in about a week.**

 **Reviews**

 **RogertheHomelessKing \- I'm happy to see that you're enjoying it! I honestly thought I was doing a terrible job at connecting the two worlds. Knowing that it's actually doing well makes me happy. Sorry for what happened to Purpura!**

 **Also, if you're planning in watching RWBY, I have to warn you- it's really cringe the first and part of second season. The fights are cool, but character interaction is weird. Serious problems get swept under the rug a lot of the time, but I can forgive it. They only had like 6 minutes per episode to build character and tell a story. Other than that it's pretty good!**

 **The story is intriguing enough to keep you watching, the world is fascinating enough to want to learn more, and characters good enough to like them. Well, there were some weird things with some of them, like Pyrrha having no background besides being a professional Gladiator.**

 **If you do go in it, avoid all youtube comments. They will spoil the heck out of it.**

 **Good luck with Batman X Zero btw! I don't read that much anymore but from what little I read it was pretty good! Keep up the good work!**


	4. The Set Up

**Well, it has been awhile, huh? That a mostly because I was screwing around, sorry. But it was sooooo fun!**

 **Anyways, a few things before we begin this wacky chapter. First, thank you for all those who are reading this and joining us! Glad to have you here! Also, we've passed One Bizarre Adventure in Favorites and Followers! Thank you! This is now my second highest fic! (God thanks mate).**

 **Secondly! I have a section down below that I elaborate on Magic. I feel like I made it sound too much like Aura, which it isn't. If you're interested, then it'll be under 'Better Explanation.'**

 **Thirdly, this first part is Cliché, but it helps set the grounds for Arcs farther down the line. If I didn't set it up, then the arcs later will be too out of left field to feel comfortable writing. That's about it. As always, if you're confused or something, I answer all reviews at the bottom of the chapter.**

 **SPOILER! This chapter contains characters from Re:Zero Arc 4, 5 and 6. RWBY characters volume 4 and above. It also mentions things that are within those episodes that may be spoilers!**

* * *

The wind blew softly against his face, blades of grass tickling his nose, causing a slight irritation for him. His face scrunched up, he slowly opened his eyes, blinking away the drowsiness from his eyes. A shade covered his body, rays of light shining through the leafs of the tree above him. Rolling over, he lifted his arm to block the offending light, his memories slowly coming back to him.

With a start, he sat up in a panic. His last memories being that of a cell, an old man, and a discussion of Religion. Not once in his memory did he recall leaving that interrogation room, or going out into the forest. A sense of unease overtook him as he evaluated his surroundings. Grass as far as the eye could see surrounded him, hills around blocking further sight, light reflecting off the green, shining the area in an unearthly light. A singular tree laid in this vast emptiness, one that he sat under. Its leaves fell graciously to the ground, touching the ground without a sound. Standing up, he tried to see if he could see over the hills, but to no avail.

"Where… am I?" Subaru questioned as he walked around the tree, his heart growing cold as fear took hold. Had he finally died and went to the afterlife? If so, how did he die? Who killed him? Better yet, why wasn't this hell? "It looks a lot like heaven to me. Not that I'm complaining, but you could have at least gave me a hint on what to do."

Looking back and forth, Subaru bit his lip. He honestly wasn't sure what he should do in a situation like this. He had answers to dealing with the Archbishops, Knights of Lugnica, the Holy Spirits of Gusteko(1), and even The Volakia Empires finest, but he did not have a answer to waking up in the middle of nowhere. Especially if this nowhere was looking more and more like the afterlife each second. Scratching the back of his head, he reached into his cloak and took out his Gospel. Flipping it open to the latest entry, he hoped it held more information for him to evaluate, to distract him from this worrying situation. Unfortunately, no entry was held within his Gospel.

Not even the final verse for Ruby.

"No, No, No." Eyes widening, Subaru frantically flipped through his Gospel, searching high and low for any of the Witches writing. The twisted words and rhymes that only he could ever read, gone without a trace. A deep sense of dread overcame Subaru as he flipped to the first page, having gone backwards in his State of mind. As luck would have it however, a single word marked the page, giving him direction and comfort. "Walk?"

Some of the Witches riddles and rhymes had been straightforward before, a general consensus was that she was trying to get something done as soon as possible, but it had never been this straightforward before. Her words always held a form of rhyme, or mystical feel to them. This, however, was a command. A command Subaru had a feeling, if he ignored, would have grave consequences.

With sweaty palms he looked forward, into the everlasting oasis, dread filling his heart. As this world was like heaven, but he felt like he was in hell. With eyes filled with apprehension, Subaru walked out of the trees shadow, and into the sun.

* * *

"How. Freaking. Long. Has. It. Been?" Subaru panted as he continued on this endless walk. For what felt like hours, Subaru had been walking in this grassy wasteland with no end in sight. This wasn't the first time Subaru had gotten lost like this, but the last time that happened he was in a forest, and he was able to at least tell time by the Sun, but wherever the hell he was the Sun didn't move. The giant star had been stuck in the middle of the sky for hours, and it didn't look like it would change anytime soon.

What made it worse was the fact that there was no tree or anything in sight. It truly felt like he was in a wasteland under the guise of an paradise. It wasn't only the lack of any vegetation besides grass that made this seem like hell. The Sun hadn't stopped beating down on him and his dark cloths, which he was forced to remove due to heat, so his skin was sure to tan. The current Season in Remnant was Summer, so this sort of heat made sense, but he had a feeling that if he was in the afterlife, he shouldn't have felt heat nor cold.

"Unless this is hell, which I'm really starting to think it is." Subaru spoke to himself as he wiped more sweat off his forehead. The thought of him finally going to hell scared him more than he let on, but if he were to be in the underworld, he'd have no right to complain. He had done many vile things in life, and while admittedly he may have done some good, most of it was heinous. Purging villages, slaughtering young, assassinating political figures. "Looking back on it, why did I do all those things? What meaning was there?"

No matter how Subaru thought of it, there was really no reason to it. He had his reasons for detesting nonhumans, but was that really the reason for him joining the Cult? The reason why he committed such crimes against the world? No, it wasn't. He remembered clearly why he sacrificed so many people. Why so many lives had ended just for him. Subaru wanted power. Power to dominate and kill. To vanquish and conquer. To protect and shelter.

Subaru couldn't remember when his views on the world had changed so much. He couldn't remember when, or if, he started not caring if someone died or if he had to kill. He couldn't remember when he started becoming uncaring if a friend died or not, for he could always just redo it. He couldn't know when his morality had become so twisted that the thought of killing children didn't disturb him. All he knew was that at some point, he started changing for the worst.

Subaru was a realist. He knew he wasn't a good person, and will most likely never will be. While the other Archbishops would fool themselves into thinking that they were good people, doing the work of a god who didn't show themselves; Subaru knew they were a Cult aiming to do mindless acts of violence. No one in the Cult knew what their end goal was, or even if there was one. They all just mindlessly followed the orders of some Witch who never showed her face.

What they all got in return was power. Power to reach beyond the limits of what was humanly possible. Power to cleave and carve as they wish, with no repercussions to think of. Power to be unreachable, to remove themselves from the plane of mere existence. Power to steal the experience of others, learning their life and abilities. The power to rewind time, unlimited chances to redo and fix the mistakes of the past. The last, and finally, the power to steal powers from his enemies, taking them for his own.

"Oddly enough, I was the only one to receive two abilities. Everyone else got one… well, except Regulus, Lust and the Gluttons, but those powers work with each other. Mine are like two different powers compared to each other." Subaru spoke to himself, distracting himself from the looming Sun. It was true though, no matter how he looked at it his powers were just too different to piece together a reasonable theory in how they worked together. The rewind ability sounded like it was made with Pride in mind, as a prideful being wouldn't accept dying or losing, always wanting to do over until everything was perfect. The power to steal abilities however? That sounded like something Envy would wield. "Well, I don't think we even have a seat for that Sin. Every other sin has an Archbishop, but Envy seems to vacant. Huh? Weird."

There wasn't much point in thinking about it, as Subaru wasn't going to complain about what he had been gifted. Subaru wasn't greedy enough to complain about the hand he had been given, even if it wasn't all that great at times. 'Return by Death' didn't have any manual save locations, which at times could be a pain in the butt. Looking at it from an outside perspective though, it was probably better that way. Subaru, while most of the time cool and collected, tended to consider getting past an enemy a 'Happy End' thus he would save immediately after. In reality, there would always be something going on in the background that he would later find out in a loop, thus having a need to fix that mistake.

'Absorption' was more or less in the same boat as Return by Death. While extremely useful in technical terms, it only ever worked when an Archbishop died. Recently he found out that when an Archbishop died, no matter where or if it was by his hand, their powers would be transmitted to him, or at least he hoped it worked like that. These abilities didn't come with any guide teaching them how to use them. It was sort of like instinct. People don't know how to control their arms and legs, they just do it. Same goes for Archbishop abilities, and by extension Divine Protections.

Wincing, Subaru gave a kick with his right leg, trying his best to ignore the pain his legs had developed after hours of walking. Truly, this was a hellish task given by the Witch. Hell, he didn't even have to follow it if he truly wanted to, but he had a sneaking suspicion that if he were to disobey it, he would be in true hell.

Glancing at his cloak, he couldn't help but notice that the cape portion of it was still horribly ruined. Holding it to his face, he inspected the patches and scrapes caused by his trek to Vale and battle with Garfiel. When he got out of… wherever he was, he would have to sew it up. Sure it looked cool and gave him more of a villainous look, but…

"I'm gonna have to think about this one." Subaru said to himself, staring at the Cloak. He had always just sewed it up without thinking, but now that he thought about it, it made him look ridiculously cool.

"We gather here today to say farewell to the dearly departed."

"Huh?"

With a start, Subaru's head snapped to the direction of the new voice, surprised and shocked. In the distance, almost out of his hearing range, was a tree. A multitude of people stood, around a rectangle ditch. A man in black, chanting to the air praises and hopes for the soul, motioned and cried like a madman. If he were to compare this Priest to Betelgeuse, he wouldn't have been far off with the amount of power the priest did. No one seemed perturbed by this however, as they were all too busy staring at the ground.

With a curious look, Subaru cautiously stalked over to the group, careful to be silent. Normally, Subaru would have been loud and cheery at having found others in this forsaken wasteland, but he had a feeling he shouldn't talk. Not only for the fact that this didn't look like the place(2) to speak, but also the fact that he hadn't noticed their presence until the priest had spoken up. Subaru wasn't the best at picking up social cues or an individual presence, but a tree and a group of people who looked to be in mourning were hard to miss in a place like this.

As he stood to the side of the group, he took the chance to peer into the rectangular ditch. In it, a coffin laid, its lid opened revealing a body of the recently departed. Her skin a deathly pale, her hair a dark brown, ending at her neck. A black dress covered her body, her arms laid across her chest. A strange feature about her was probably the most normal thing about her. A content smile graced her face, almost as if she had passed in bliss.

"This… looks extremely familiar." Subaru said, a deep feeling of dread gripping his heart. Subaru felt like he had been here before, seen this before, and experienced before. Nervously, he reached into his cloak- "Huh?"

Eyes widening, he looked down at his body in surprise. The cloak he had held in his arms until now was gone, replaced by thin air that seemed to carry with it surprising weight. The bear chest he had boldly shown to the world was once again covered by a white suit and black tie. Slacks replaced his uniform pants, tightly clinging to his body. Black dance shoes replaced his… Black dance shoes.

"What the hell!?" Subaru cursed, the change in attire scaring him. There was no doubt about it now. It didn't matter if this was heaven or hell, this place was abnormal. Paranormal even, far beyond that of Magic or Aura. To bypass his perception of reality and spawn individuals from a distance, to change his attire as they pleased. Whatever this place was, he needed to find an escape before whatever was in charge decided to do anything drastic.

"This is the kid!?" Subaru instinctively snapped his head to the female voice. The scenery had changed once again. What once was a Funeral, was now a desolate room. Toys littered the room; blocks, figurines and other such luxuries scattered about on the sewn carpet. A bed, unkempt and worn down sat in the corner. A window was the only source of light for the otherwise dark room that hid its corners with earnest. Three individuals stood in the middle of this; two adults and one fragile child.

"You have to be kidding! He looks nothing like master!" The girl proclaimed, kneeling and giving the young boy a look over. The girl, who looked to be in her early twenties, looked to definitely stand out within a crowd. Her dark brown hair reached to the nape of her butt, tied in a ponytail to no doubt keep from getting tangled. She dressed in the bear minimal, having just a bra and some shorts to cover her important bits. A black cape hung loosely around her neck, for what he assumed to hide the rest of her top.

"He may look nothing like your master, but I assure you that he is his son." The other spoke, deep and heavy. He wore a crimson kimono which only covered half his chest, leaving the right side uncovered, a white sarashi hung around his body, and a black eyepatch over his left eye that had an ugly pattern. His crimson red hair went past his back, ending near his butt. He seemed to be the calmer of the two, as the girl continued to shake the young boy.

"Well, he does smell like master." The girl said, sniffing the boys hair. It was an odd thing to say and do, even for one such as Subaru. Frowning, she looked back at the crimson man. "Hey Reid, why does this kid look so down anyways? I mean, Master always was strict and to the point, but isn't this too much?"

"You're too insensitive, Shaula." Reid said, shaking his head. Leaning on the Katana on his waist, Reid looked at Shaula through his one eye. "The boy has lost both his parents, of course he would be down. When your family passed, didn't you feel a burden on your heart?"

"Well, sure, but it didn't last long." Shaula said, watching as the boy continued to stare at the ground, emotionless. "Besides, I cried. I didn't mope around like a lost sheep trying to find its herd. In no time I moved on with my life, that's how I got here."

"Maybe you're just a stronger person than he is, you." Reid said as he messed with his hair. Sighing, he watched the kid some more, who acted as if they weren't their, before looking back at the girl, who still kneeled down to the boys level. "Are you done yet Shaula? We only came here because you wanted too; we don't have the luxury to waste time anymore."

"Yeah, yeah, just hold on." Shaula said, watching the boy, her face contemplating something. Groaning, she shook her head furiously. "Hey, kid, I need you to listen to me."

If he heard, he didn't give any indication he did. The group waited in silence, Subaru holding his head as a sense of nostalgia hit him. It was like he had seen this scene before, replaying in his head like a worn out tape. As the images flashed through his mind, connecting perfectly with the scene before him, he couldn't help but feel like he knew what she was going to say. Shaula would get irritated at being ignored, force the boy to look her in the eyes, and say-

"Subaru!" Shaula said, holding his chin up, forcing him to look into her green eyes. His emotionless mask breaking slightly at the endless sympathy and love held within her eyes. A reminder of the precious person he had lost in his life; his mom. Her warm smiles, the way her eyes held a form of happiness that no mere being could wield, and her enchanting words that seemed to hold all the world's care and tenderness. A lump formed in Subaru's throat, but he didn't budge. Shaula smiled, seeing his façade breaking so easily. "Look, Subaru, we can't stay here for long, but I have to say this; no matter where you are, or who you become, someone out there will love you. There will always be someone to care for you when you're down, and cheer for you when your up. I know this, because master… your father, taught me that.

"So cheer up already! With a face like that, it just makes you look like you're scheming something evil!" Shaula said, ruffling Subaru's hair. Subaru didn't respond, his eyes downcast, as if the world had betrayed him. It wasn't that far from the truth either, as betrayal had been a theme in his short life. Smiling, Shaula continued to mess with his hair. "We'll get back Master for you, and we'll all be one big happy family!"

"Huh?" Subaru's eyes widened, staring at Shaula's dark green eyes. Surprise and hope shown through those wide hazel eyes of his, as if God had shown a ray of light on his poor soul. "Dads… alive?"

"Of course!" Shaula cheered, startling the young Subaru. "There's no way in hell that Master would die so easily! If he did, I'd kill him myself!"

Subaru stared at the grinning girl, who struck a friendly pose. Unmoving, unbreathing, Subaru watched her, as if trying to tell if she had twisted the truth at all. Yet no matter how she looked, or how her words were spoke, truth lined the very bottom of her speech. Visible tears formed at the corner of his eyes, and without a word, Subaru latched onto the woman. Crying and pleading to bring back his precious person. Shaula stared at him, surprise on her face, before a warm smile settled on her face. Slowly, she hugged the crying child tightly, whispering promises and comforts into his ear.

They stayed like this for several minutes, before it became apparent that Subaru had cried himself to sleep. Smiling, Shaula lifted him with ease, her strength being able to lift a full grown dragon with ease. Laying him in the bed, she tucked him in, silently contemplating taking him with them. With a shake of her head, she fought against the idea. Where they were going wasn't a place for a kid. Moving a stray strand of Subaru's hair out of his face, she couldn't help but think of her master. At first, he may look like the complete polar opposite of him, but looking closer, he did have her master's eyes.

A sudden sting to her arse made her squeak in surprise. Snapping her head to Reid, she glared at the grinning Sword Saint. She considered transporting him to space, but thought against it. Regrettably, he was needed for the mission ahead. With pouting cheeks, she covered her bum from future assaults.

"You're a freaking prick, you know that!?" Shaula whispered, trying to keep her voice down. Walking up to him, she punched him in the gut, which he allowed. Chuckling, Reid gave a mischievous smile to her.

"Says the girl who is trying to set flags on a boy no older than six." Reid teased as Shaula punched him in the face. Reid gave a hearty laugh at her attempts to kill him. Good naturedly of course.

"I am NOT setting flags on a boy a who's just getting out of his diapers!" Shaula defended as a bright blush crossed her face. Reid's smile just grew bigger at this.

"But what about when he's older? Fail with the father, so you go after the son?" Reid teased some more before a kick landed straight at his crotch, this having a visible effect on him as he held the injured partner.

"You're disgusting!" Shaula yelled, causing Subaru to stir. Wincing, she glared at Reid some more. "Lets get going, before I destroy this place."

"Hold on. My Love machine is crying." Reid squeaked, obvious pain on his face. Groaning, he snapped himself back in position, like what had happened had never even occurred. "Alright, I'm ready, but is that really all you have to say? You were hella eager to get here."

Without speaking, Shaula stared into the opposite side of the room, contemplating. Turning back to Subaru, she smiled lovingly, before turning back. Waving a hand in front of her, the air seemed to twist and turn, before a black hole appeared before her.

"Yeah, I'm sure." She spoke to Reid, grinning at the crimson Saint. "I have faith that this won't get him too down! When he grows up, I bet he'll be as strong and righteous as Master!"

With that, both Reid and Shaula walked into the portal, one content with her work done, the other glad he got to touch a woman's arse. The black hole snapped closed, forming an invisible line where it once stood. Subaru watched, holding his head. A pained expression marred his face as the scene began to fade. He remembered all of this, but why was this appearing now? What purpose did it serve?

"Yet here he stands, the complete opposite of Strong and Righteous."

Subaru snapped his neck behind him. A figure stood, clad in all black, yet still somehow visible in the void surrounding them. It's cloak covered all, floating as if nothing held it down. As if they were underwater.

"He stands, as the living impersonation of Pride, loved by Envy, friends of Greed, sworn enemy of Sloth, diffident of Lust, uncaring of Gluttony, and as angered as Wrath. The boy, son of the hero, became that which is not good nor evil. A true enigma that may never be pieced together." It spoke, it's voice neither Male or Female, yet distinguishable. Distorted, yet clear as the starry sky.

"Shut up…"

"He kills not for joy, or any purpose. He lives, but with no goal. He laughs, yet it carries no joy. He breathes not for himself, but for those around him. He desires, but doesn't strive forward. His wants lay in front of him, yet he doesn't reach to grasp the hand in front of him. The Silver Eyed girl, the simplest and most honest, granted to someone like him. That. That is his Cupiditatem."

"Shut up!" Subaru said, claws of his and the Witch reaching out to the intruder.

"Kill me."

The scene changed once more. Back was the endless grass. The tree that shadowed him from the offending light of the sun. Shakily, Subaru looked up, the voice having changed from its distorted variant to one filled with beauty and gentleness. Standing in front of him was not the monster in the void, but a woman of the past. Silver hair that reached to her back, covered by a straw hat. A white dress covered her body. Her arms hugged each other behind her back, a smile that reached her purple eyes stared into his hazel eyes. The claws of his and the Witch just in reach of her, ready to tear her limb from limb.

"Kill me." She repeated, her voice soft and carrying a love that only a lover could wield. Subaru stared at her for just a second before his teeth slammed closed. Gritting his teeth in hate, he let his instincts take over. Body parts flew as blood stained the air and grass in crimson paint. A hand, holding her head, brought it to him. Subaru took this time to cherish the moment that would never come again.

"You did good." It was not her head. What the hand held was not the Silver Haired half elf that he had grown to hate. It held a black haired man's head. A pair of glasses loosely held onto his face. Immense regret and anguish overtook Subaru's heart as he stared at the head in his hands. "I'm proud of you Subaru."

"D-Dad?" Subaru choked, as the head in his hands turned to dust in his grasp. Tears trailed down his face as he watched with wide eyes as the ashes flew into the distance, scattered by the wind that blew softly against his skin. Subaru watched, tears lining his cheeks as the last bits of ashes left his grasp. "D… DAD!"

* * *

Vale

Police Station

Holding Cell

With a start, Subaru sat up, sweat trailing down his face. Frantically, he looked around for his dad. For the grassy meadow, or the tree that was forever bound there. All he was met with however, was cold steel of cell bars and walls. A toilet sat near the bed he laid on, as well as a sink next to it. Shaken, he put his feet over the bed, wiping away the sweat that clung to his face.

"What was that?" Subaru thought aloud, standing up on weak legs to go to the mirror over the sink. Wobbling over, he grasped the sink to keep himself steady. The reflection it showed did not in the slightest bit look pleasant. His skin had paled, and bags had formed under his eyes. His lips were chapped, and his eyes were dilated. His mouth was dry and there were a visible trail of tears left by the nightmare. If Subaru was in a joking mood, he would have probably compared himself to a drug addict.

"Hey, uh, man!" A voice called out, frightening Subaru. Turning his face the new voice, he was greeted with a simple Atlas officer. Subaru wasn't able to tell the difference however, as this was his first time in a Kingdom of Remnant. Staring at the man, who seemed to be green if the way he was fidgeting was anything to go by, Subaru straightened his back, trying his best to look normal. "Y-Your fine has been bought, uh, y-you're free to go!"

"Ah, thank you." Subaru responded, grabbing his Cloak and donning it. His sweat had seemed to calm down, but he still seemed a little hot. Sneering, he adjusted the cloak, it's tears still on the cape. 'I better not have gotten a fever.'

Subaru waited patiently for the officer to open the cell, fiddling with the keys nervously. As the cage opened, Subaru stepped out. Almost like magic, he was able to hear the whines of other inmates, going about their business. Some complained about their misfortune, a few chatted to each other to pass time, while others sat in silence reading a book. It didn't matter to Subaru however, as he wasn't planning on staying too long in the holding cells. Following the Guard, who glanced back at Subaru ever so often, they soon came upon the exit. What greeted him was what you'd come to expect if a police station. A couple of desk workers shuffling about, doing whatever they do. A few families sat in the lobby, silent as can be. Then finally, a certain blonde tapping his feet impatiently on the floor.

"Ah!" Sun said as he spotted Subaru walking out of the holding cells. Like a rocket, Sun dashed over to the Bishop, who flinched a little at the over excited monkey. "Dude! What took you so long!? I've been waiting out here for hours!"

"I was sleeping." Subaru replied bluntly, walking past the slightly taller boy. It wasn't like Subaru was giving Sun the cold shoulder, it was just that the people in the lobby were staring at them. Luckily, and unfortunately, Sun didn't notice either.

"What!? Didn't the Headmaster pay your bail? You should have been out last night!" Sun said as they walked out of the Police Station. Wincing as the light hit his eyes, Subaru looked at Sun to try distract from the stinging he felt from the star.

"He did, it's just that I wasn't his student, so it took longer to get everything sorted out." Subaru told Sun, remembering what happened the night before.

* * *

Unnamed amount of time earlier

Interrogation Room

"My name is Ozpin, and I am the Headmaster of the Hunter School, Beacon Academy. It is nice to meet you." The wizened man introduced, taking a sip out of his coffee. Subaru didn't reply at first, rather he took in the sight of the man. From Subaru's point of view, anybody who dressed as nice as he did held some large amount of political power. Usually Subaru didn't care for such things, as a body was a body, no matter who's soul it held. Yet as he sat in the presence of Ozpin, he couldn't help but feel every hair on his skin prick up in anticipation. Like this man could kill him a million times before Subaru could lift a finger.

"Ah… Same." Subaru nervously replied, which was unlike him. It was rare for Subaru to feel nervous like this; normally imposing figures rarely had any effect on him, if any. The last time Subaru felt nervous like this was when he met Ruby, but that was due to awkwardness. Eyes widening, he cursed himself for forgetting to introduce himself. "Ah! I'm Subaru Natsuki, Archbishop of Pri- the Church I affiliate myself with!"

"Archbishop?" Ozpin questioned, unsure if he heard that right. With a nod of his head, Subaru confirmed the old man's inquiry. Taking a sip of his coffee, Ozpin stared straight into Subaru's eyes. "I do have to admit, that is incredibly surprising."

"Huh?" Subaru questioned, unsure what Ozpin was referring to. It should have been obvious, but for Subaru it wasn't. This man's presence was too much for him to handle calmly. 'What is going on?'

"That one so young such as yourself has risen to the seat of an Archbishop." Ozpin emphasized. Subaru blinked once, before he remembered what exactly a Archbishop was. Scratching the back of his head, he tried to act sheepish.

"Ah, it wasn't that hard." Subaru spoke truthfully. In reality, all he really had to do was pick up a Cult Gospel, and he was instantly a Archbishop. He wasn't sure how Archbishops in other religions were granted such a title, but he knew it wasn't the same as the Cults.

"There's no need to act humble. Becoming a Archbishop at such a young age is quite an achievement! It must mean your extremely devoted in your practice!" Ozpin complimented, taking another sip of his coffee. Subaru chuckled nervously, not sure how to feel about how this man was acting. He seemed like a good enough man, but the atmosphere around him practically screamed dangerous. Maybe he was just imagining it, after all, he did just come out of a fight to the death with a White Fang member. "Say, may I know what your religion believes in? I always find it fascinating how different cultures could come up with a concept similar, yet so different from each other."

Subaru internally winced. This was not good. Not good at all. Subaru, for the most part, was a radical member of the Cult, but even then he held some sanity in the fact that he shouldn't broadcast who he was. If he did, who knew who would hunt him down like some rare game. That was the reason Subaru never revealed to much about who he was or who he was affiliated with. Then there were moments like now when someone would ask a little to much. It wasn't like he could brush it off either, as that would make him look suspicious.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Subaru considered the many answers he could give. On one hand, he could claim that his Church would shun him for revealing any information, which was a extremely risky response, as Subaru had a feeling lies wouldn't work on the gentleman. On the other hand he could flat out tell Ozpin that he didn't wish to speak, which may ruin future conversation. Ozpin was here for a reason, and Subaru wanted to know why. Last, and finally, Subaru could tell the truth. Even if his religion was that of a Cult, they still had a story as other Religions do. Besides, from what Subaru understood, Remnant didn't know much about The World Above. Well, at least Ruby didn't. Thinking it over, Subaru gave a sigh, deciding on his answer.

"My Religion is that if The Witch of Creation." Subaru admitted, remembering the lesson Betelgeuse had engraved in his memory. At the time Subaru could have cared less, but due to multiple deaths, he had finally accepted his fate. This would be the last time that maniac was ever useful.

"Ah, The Witch of Creation. So that's your religion." Ozpin spoke, his voice carrying recognition with it. Subaru's eyes widened in surprise, looking up at Ozpin who calmly sipped his coffee. Not many out of the Cult knew the story of the Witch of Creation, and those that did tend to not live for long. If this man, who was a being of Remnant, knew what the Story was, then he no doubt knew it was connected to the Cult. Subaru considered killing Ozpin, before backtracking. Ozpin may have heard of the story, and that was about it. There was no way he would know the whole story.

"You know about it?" Subaru asked, trying to draw out a response from Ozpin. Subaru needed to know how tightly he needed to keep his mouth shut. If this man knew who he was, he either needed to kill him or restart. There was a low chance of Subaru willingly restarting however, so he prepared to kill the man just in case.

"But of course!" This was not the answer Subaru was hoping for. Doing his best to keep his fear hidden, Subaru listened as Ozpin continued. "The Witch of Creation. This story is probably my favorite to come out of The World Above. Once Upon a Time, there was a Witch, who lived in a cottage near a dying village on a war torn world. Unlike the Witch of our legends however, this Witch cared and loved the world around her, tending to her Endless Garden and bringing great joy to the animals she herded. Yet even with all this kindness in her heart, the Villagers nearby detested and scorned her, believing that she was the cause of their poor harvest over the years. One day, a young boy ventured out to meet the Witch, and begged her to help not just his village, but the world as a whole. She asked what he would do in return, and he vowed to protect the world she would create for eternity. So entranced by his selflessness, she granted his wish, bringing an era of peace and prosperity to the land. She rid the world of Sin, such as Lust, Greed, and Wrath, locking the monstrosities out of their realm. Of course, this came with a price. The Seven Sins, in their all spiteful form, granted Seven likeminded souls with their powers. One of them, as it so happened, was The Kind Witch. She received the most Vile sin of all; Envy. Jealousy and loathing for the world around her grew, yet she tried to keep herself from breaking. As time passed, this power grew to much for her bear, and she ate the World she worked so hard to bring peace to. She hunted down and killed the other Sin bearers, stealing their powers for her own. It didn't take long for heroes from all corners of the world to come slay the newly crowned Witch of Envy. One of these heroes just so happened to be the young boy that had begged her for peace, keeping his vow to protect the world she created. The Witch, as envious as she was, still cared for the boy and the world, so much so that she willingly sealed herself away for all eternity." Ozpin said, Subaru's eyes widening in fear and surprise. As if coming out of a trance, Ozpin jumped a little, smiling sheepishly at Subaru. "Ah, I do apologize. I tend to get invested in stories like these. Friends of mine tell me I need to grow out of these childhood fantasies."

"I-It's fine." Subaru said, sweat pouring down his forehead. Apprehension gripped his heart as Ozpin continued to drink his coffee. This man knew the whole story of The Witch of Creation better than he did; there was no doubt about it, he knew of the Cult. Forming a hand under the table, Subaru slowly crept up on Ozpin, and position it to crush the left side of his ribcage.

"Ah, that reminds me!" Ozpin said, stopping Subaru. Subaru wasn't sure why exactly he stopped, but something told him that if he were to kill Ozpin, he wouldn't be the one that died. "In The World Above, there a group of people that worship this Witch in a way most detestable in this time of peace. They tend to pillage and burn villages like crusaders and common bandits." Ozpin's eyes narrowed, a hazel color that seemed to pierce Subaru's very soul. Sweat covered his face and hands, his legs shaking with a fear he hadn't felt in years. "You wouldn't happen to be one of them, would you?"

Subaru's teeth chattered, a cold sensation running down his back as he felt Ozpin's eyes look deeper and deeper into him. A terrifying man, the likes Subaru hadn't come across since Reinhardt Van Astrea, sat before him. Ozpin needed to die, right here, right now, but no matter how hard he tried to crush his ribcage, Subaru couldn't budge an inch. It was like time had stopped, but the fear had only grown. He needed to do something, quick, before Ozpin killed him. Opening his mouth, Subaru said the first thing that came to mind.

"I-I-I am not involved with the Cult." Subaru lied, something he took Pride in not doing. Sure, sometimes he never fully told the truth, or avoided certain questions, but a flat out lie? It was unheard of him to do so. Ozpin, however, didn't let up the mysterious atmosphere around him.

"The Cult?" Ozpin questioned. Subaru's eyes widened as he realized his mistake. Ozpin called them Crusaders and Bandits, not Cultists. It was only one word, but it was enough for the Gray haired man to accuse him of knowing more than he should. "I guess that's another name for them. Actually befitting the more I think about it."

Once again, Subaru tried to kill Ozpin, yet the hand wouldn't budge. It was like it wasn't apart of him anymore, as if someone else had taken control. Subaru did his best not to freak out, as once he did, he knew he would die, yet as time moved on it got more and more difficult. Ozpin sat, staring, judging Subaru. Evaluating every nook and cranny of his being. From his styled hair, to his Cult clothing, to the sound of a tapping foot, unable to be controlled. With a great sigh, Ozpin gave a gentle smile.

"Of course you wouldn't be affiliated with such a group." Ozpin announced, and with it the suffocating atmosphere disappeared. Subaru didn't make any move to kill Ozpin however, as he had a feeling this was just a guise. "You did help two of my students tonight, which a Cultist wouldn't have done. I have to thank you for that."

"S… Students?" Subaru asked, his voice cracking a little. His Unseen Hand disappeared, continual use having taken its toll. Coughing a little, Subaru continued with his question. "What students?"

"Why, Ruby Rose and Sun Wukong!" Ozpin revealed, surprising Subaru. Those two were affiliated with a man like him, and were his students? Wait, he did say that he was a Headmaster at a Hunter School, maybe that's why? "From the stories I've been told, you seem to possess amazing abilities! Forming extra appendages and cutting off the senses of others just by yelling a few choice words? Even I would be impressed by the amount of skill one so young must possess."

"Ah, it's nothing, really." Subaru silently cursed the two Beacon Students for telling this man about his abilities. Where he came from, hiding your abilities until the proper moment was key, but now that was thrown out the window without a care. Maybe they had different combat customs here, or those two were just airheads. "What do you mean that I helped them though? From what I remember, the only one who needed help was me." Subaru asked, trying to change the subject.

"Didn't you hold off a extremely skilled White Fang member tonight?" Ozpin asked, to which Subaru nodded. From his point of view, Garfiel had been a force to be reckoned with, but that was due to his own level of skill. To know that Sun must've thought the same brought a feeling of relaxation in his heart. "From what Sun Wukong has told me, if it wasn't for you, they would probably be dead. For that, I thank you."

"O-Oh… it's no problem." Subaru scratched the back of his neck nervously. He honestly didn't do much, well besides kill the vermin. Thank god he wouldn't have anymore run-ins with him. "Sun was the one who did most of the work, I just gave the final blow to him."

"Nonsense." Ozpin shrugged off what Subaru said, astounding the boy. "It is because of you that you and Sun survived. You used your mind instead of your brawn to eliminate your opponent. This is a trait that seems to be lacking in most Huntsmen these days, sad as it is."

"Oh… Uh, Thank you. I guess." Subaru sheepishly said. Compliments to himself were not something he was very adamant about. Sure, he took Pride in the things that were said, but to be selfish about it and swim in the compliments was more of Regulus' thing.

"For saving my students however, I would like to pay for your bail." Ozpin said, surprising Subaru. Didn't he have suspicions about him being a Cult member? Shouldn't he want Subaru to stay locked up? Maybe it was just all in his head. "That is of course, if you'll allow me."

"Huh? Y-yes! Please pay for my bail!" Subaru responded earnestly, to which Ozpin smiled gently at. Standing and grabbing his cane, Ozpin turned his back to Subaru, walking to the door of the interrogation room.

"Of course. Your bail should be paid by morning by the earliest, in the afternoon tomorrow at the latest." With that Ozpin grasped the knob of door and pulling. A slight creaking sound was made, as the door was made of a heavy metal.

Time seemed to slow for Subaru, coming to a stop. Similar to when he mentioned his Rewind ability, a cold feeling came over him. Unlike that however, it wasn't something in the likes of his soul being crushed. It felt like he was forgetting something. It felt as if Subaru let Ozpin leave now, he would miss something crucial in his life. As if there would be no meaning to his tale afterwards.

"Wait!" Subaru stopped, standing up. A realization overcame him as he thought of this man's position. He was a Headmaster at a Hunter Academy, a place that taught in combat. The same as Sun, and more importantly, Ruby went to. "I… I want to ask another favor, please."

"Oh?" Ozpin said, curious as to what he had to ask. "While I am not against the idea of favors, my position doesn't let me do whatever I please; don't misunderstand."

"I-I want to go to your Academy!" Subaru said, simplifying his speech. Biting his cheek, he rephrased this. "Please, let me attend your Huntsmen Academy!"

Ozpin seemed to stare at him for a second, before the slightest bit of a chuckle escaped his lips. Ozpin turned to face Subaru, a smile on his face. He calmly walked over to the shorter male, looking down on him, evaluating. After a minute of this, Ozpin smiled even some more, like an idea had just entered his head.

"I am fine with that, seeing as we had an odd number of students this year." Subaru gave a sight of relief at this. "However, I would like to know your reasons for joining such a school. I am sorry if it's too personal, but a habit of mine is to collect the stories of others; to get to know them before making any rash decisions."

Subaru didn't immediately answer Ozpin's question. Instead, he looked down, thinking. Why exactly did he want to go to a Hunter school? Was it because of Ruby? No, Regulus was just pushing him to find her, Subaru had no desire to get to know the girl. Was it because of some intrigue of this world's way of life? No, Subaru would destroy this world without a second thought. Closing his eyes, he let out a breath of fatigue, the answer being so simple yet so hard at the same time. Looking up at the older man, Subaru steeled his features into that of confidence.

"I want to become a Hunter to get stronger." Subaru proclaimed, laying his hand on the steel table. Ozpin watched, every movement being evaluated and scrutinized. "Watching the fight between Sun and the White Fang member made me realize how weak I am. As it stands, I'm barely able to beat up a couple of thugs without tricking them. I want to win with my strength, not because I deceived their eyes into thinking I'm strong. I want to be strong! As strong as Sun and the White Fang member! I'm tired of solely relying on others for protection! I want people to rely on me like I rely on them!"

The sound of silence followed the speech Subaru just gave. Subaru, looking up in hope that Ozpin would agree. Ozpin, looking down and judging the boy below him. Both stared, now that backing down from their wordless battle of wits. Slowly, Ozpin smiled some more before closing his eyes, nodding his head. Turning around, he began to walk to the exit again, not giving Subaru his answer. As Subaru wad about to call out to him, Ozpin stopped.

"Fine, I shall allow you to attend my school." Ozpin announced, his back still turned to the Bishop. Subaru held his breath, before a triumphant grin made its way to his face. While Subaru silently cheered, Ozpin continued. "Of course, my Academy only accepts the best of the best, so you will need to take a test same as everyone else in my Academy. You will meet me at Beacon Academy in two days time. Until then, I recommend you rest your body and mind."

"Wait, what?" Subaru questioned as his grin dropped to the floor. Ozpin didn't respond, instead walking out of the room, leaving Subaru to his devices. Subaru, for his part, couldn't help but repeat the words 'Best of the Best' and 'Test' over and over in his mind. Silently, he realized what had happened and what he'd gotten himself into. Grabbing his head, he squirmed around in a comedic fashion.

"Craaaaaaap!"

* * *

Present

Subaru shivered once more, the feeling of Ozpin's presence and the upcoming trail making itself known in his mind. Sun noticed the disgruntled look on his face, but didn't comment on it. Everybody bad their own issues, and it wasn't his place to dig in… except if it was Blake. Blake loved it when he dug into her personal business.

"Hey, What're you doing here anyways, Sun?" Subaru asked as they walked along the streets of Vale, mindlessly taking in the scenery. The slightly taller Faunus put his hands behind his head, thinking of how to respond.

"Well, it's partly 'cause Ruby was throwing a fit that you didn't get released last night, so I ditched school to come check up on you!" Sun answered, stretching. The Bishop raised an eyebrow at this; Ruby worrying about his well being? They barely know each other, why would she care? "That, and what you said last night has been bothering me all day!"

"What I said?" Subaru questioned, looking up in thought. There wasn't much conversation between the two of them besides Subaru ordering the Faunus around, and there wasn't much of that to begin with. "Sorry, I honestly don't remember."

"A~h god! You and Garfiel made a big deal about it Last night!" Sun said, ruffling his hair. Groaning, Sun pointed at Subaru. "You said you hated all Faunus last night! That pissed me off!"

"Oh!" Subaru said, remembering his speech about how all Faunus are detestable. Subaru wasn't going to back down on that statement either, but he needed to make something clear. "Yeah, what about it? If you're worried that I hate you, don't. You've proven yourself to be reliable and not a backstabber."

"No, that's not the point!" Sun said, confusing Subaru. This only seemed to agitate the Monkey Faunus. "I don't care if you hate me, actually I do, but it bothers me how you just hate every Faunus that crosses your path! I'm hear to fix that!"

"No, I'm good." Subaru declined with a wave of his hand. It appeared that a few pedestrians had caught wind of their conversation and decided to eavesdrop. 'Annoying.' "I doubt you'll be able to change my opinion of your kind, no matter how hard you try."

"But I can't sit here and not try!" Sun yelled, drawing in more pedestrians. Some girls in the background seemed to be giggling at the sight. Suddenly, Sun grabbed his hands, much to the glee of the girls. "Please! Give me one chance! I promise you won't regret it!"

"Uh, Um…" The girls now seemed to be blushing madly, taking out rectangular devices and holding it out in front of them. Something told Subaru this wasn't a pure act of the mind. "Look, I-I don't know, alright! We're friends, but I don't think you could-"

"Exactly!" Sun yelled leaning in. Subaru leaned back, uncomfortable by the close proximity. "You don't think, but I know! I know I can change your mind about us! Come on! What else do you gotta do right now anyways!?"

Sun's words rang true; Subaru had nothing to do. As far as he knew, he just planned to walk around Vale, taking in the sights. Sun, however, seemed to have something planned to change his mind. Subaru doubted he could, especially in the time Ozpin gave him. The giggles and squeals of girls made him decide on instinct however.

"A-alright! I'll give you a chance, just let go of my hand!" Subaru said, as Sun backed off with a sheepish grin. The girls in the background squealed in delight, making Subaru sweat some more. Never had he seen girls act as frantic as them. "L-lets just go already! This place is making me nervous."

"Ah, sure!" Sun said, taking the lead. His tail wagged in supposed excitement as Sun took long strides. A hop to his step accompanied each movement, and a slight hum reached his voice.

Something told Subaru this was going to be a long day.

* * *

Vale

Undisclosed Location

Roman Torchwick was a patient man. An extremely patient man. So patient he was, that he could have beaten the world record in patience if he wasn't a national criminal. He had tolerance for most of everything, even for Neo when he first found her. She didn't start out as the bundle of talent that she was now. He had to refine her before she turned into the gem she was now, and that took time. Roman could handle that.

When it came to Cinder however…

"Where the hell is that conceited little prick!" Roman yelled, kicking a crate in the corner of the room. It had been hours since the appointed meeting time, and there had been no sign, head or tails, of the girl or her lackeys. It had been slowly eating at the professional, how a girl so young could stand him up like this. Kicking the crate again, he cursed Cinder with all his heart. "She better have a pretty good reason why she kept me waiting! I have business to attend to, and I would rather not do it locked in this windowless room!"

Roman took a few deep breaths to calm himself of his anger. Turning, he gave a look to his partner, Neo, who sat twirling her umbrella. It was ironic really, how both criminals chose weapons disguised as everyday items. His Melodic Cudgel, and her… Umbrella. Roman let out a 'Tsk' and made a mental note to have a talk to her about naming her weapon. Walking over to the table, he easily grabbed the ice cream haired girls attention.

"Neo, dear." Roman started, remembering her daily routine. "You don't have to be here you know? This is your half of the day off, so why do you dwindle here with me?"(3)

Neo didn't respond vocally, instead raising an eyebrow at the master criminal. Roman watched her for a bit, before lowering his head and giving a sharp sigh. With a shake of his head, he lifted his head to give her a appreciative smile.

"Yeah, I guess it would be unbearable without you here, but you know that I'll still be using you for the other half of the day, right?" Roman asked, to which Neo rolled her eyes at. "So? So I'll be working your butt off tonight, you uptight brat!" Roman insulted. Neo stopped twirling her umbrella, slamming the tip on the ground and giving Roman a glare. Shrinking back, Roman gave a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, sorry. I know that was uncalled for, but you should seriously get some sleep. We have a lot of work to do, and I can't afford to have you slacking off." Neo's glare seemed to only intensify. "I know, I know, you're better than that, but with you tailing that merchant and taking care of other pleasantries, I can't help but worry you might fall behind. We can't have that, especially with the Breach coming up soon." Neo seemed to mimic a sigh, before scrunching her eyebrows together and giving a cheeky smile. Roman turned his head, pulling his cap down to hide his face. "N-No, I'm not worrying about you or anything! I just worry that my partner in crime won't be able to keep at my pace! Time is money Neo, and with your attitude, I fear more money is falling out of my pocket than is going in!" Neo mimicked a chuckle, a soft smile on her lips. Glancing at her, Roman gave a sigh. "Fine! You do what you want! I don't care anymore!" Roman stared at the wall, before he gave a groan of irritation. "Where is that God damn brat!?"

"I hope you aren't talking about me, Roman." A voice spoke behind the door. Turning their heads to the door, they watched as it slowly opened, revealing the villain Trio. Mercury Black, Emerald Sustrai, and the most detestable, Cinder Fall. Her signature smile worn on her plastic face. Roman sneered at her.

"Oh, but of course I wouldn't dear speak such vile insults to you, dear princess!" Roman said with a smile, before it was replaced with one of disgust. "Of course, that would be the case if you weren't such a detestable wench!"

"Hey! Watch your mouth Roman!" Emerald stepped up, standing up for Cinder. "If it wasn't for Cinder, you would still be scavenging around for work to do!"

"Yes, and I'm grateful for that." Roman admitted. While it was true that Roman was a master criminal, during the time in which Cinder had found him, he had hit the highest peak of where he could go alone. With Cinders help however, he was able to make it pass that glass ceiling and aspire even higher than before. "However, I have business I need to attend to, and I would like to get to work. Not sit in this cramped meeting room waiting on you kids to show up."

"We are NOT kids." Mercury said, words that flowed out of Romans mouth reminding him of his father.

"From where I stand, you could be twenty-five and you'd still be a child compared to me." Roman mocked, leaning on his cane as Neo watched the interaction with no small amount of amusement. "Once you grow out of your diapers and can actually put up a good fight, please, by any means do change my mind! Until then, I suggest that you do your best to keep up with Neo and I."

"You top hat wearing prick!" Emerald yelled as she pulled out her dual blades, ready to kill the man in front of her. With a raise of a hand however, Emerald stopped herself. "Cinder?"

"Stop it, you two." Cinder commanded, her voice holding the authority to cut through even high ranking officers. "I will not tolerate anymore infighting between us. Our missions all coincide with each others desires, so we mustn't tear each other to pieces. Instead, direct that anger towards our goal."

"But, Cinder! He-" Emerald bit her tongue, Cinders glare stopping her in her tracks.

"Emerald." Cinder spoke, her voice sending chills down Mercury and Emeralds spines. She rarely needed to be this serious to them. "Obey." Cinder spoke calmly. Emerald swallowed her fear, nodding her head in unkempt apprehension, Cinder turned to the patient Roman. "Roman Torchwick. While I do understand your irritation at our late entrance, and I can tolerate your insults towards me, I can not tolerate aggravating my subordinates. I ask that you rein your anger in, or I'll do it for you."

Roman stared at Cinder, his gaze unflinching. He didn't show it, but the threat made his blood run cold. He knew exactly the amount of power this girl held, and he knew that if he were to go head to head with this child, he would end up in cinders(4). His eyes danced between the trio, then Neo. If anything broke out between them, there would be no doubt that Neo would take his side. That thought was comforting and dreadful at the same time. While he was sure Neo would be able to take on Mercury and Emerald, to a standstill at least, he feared for her confrontation with Cinder. Neo, as talented as she was, wouldn't be able to handle Cinders Semblance. Looking back to Cinder, he sighed.

"Fine, I will do my best to hinder my insults." Roman begrudgingly obeyed. Smiling, Cinder motioned for everyone to sit. Roman did, but not without having the last word. "I will obey, as long as you keep your… subordinates in check."

"I will do so." Cinder said, taking her seat. Looking over to Neo she smiled. "Ah, Neo! How kind of you to join us! It is rare to see you in our little meetings."

"Of course." Roman said, leaning back, his Cane resting in his lap. The group looked at him, as whatever he said was the same as what Neo would say. "She is usually using this half of the day to do as she pleases. However, she was interested enough to stay with me for this meeting."

"I don't get why you do that." Emerald spoke up, drawing attention to herself. At the curious stares, she continued. "I mean, isn't it kind of pointless to have her work for half of the day? We have a lot of work to do, and if we need her at a certain moment, which might be when she's on her dumb break, we won't be able to call her." Emerald looked to the uncaring girl, who twirled her Umbrella, not listening. "You should really stop this stupid twelve hours on, twelve hours off thing. Y-"

"Hey! You shut your mouth!" Roman interrupted, leaning forward. Pointing at the pair, he gave his best sneer. "Neo has her own life to live, the same as you spoiled brats! Besides, she doesn't tell you puppets what to do, so you shouldn't tell her what to do!"

"We are NOT puppets!" Mercury defended. Preparing to kick him under the table. Roman just smiled and leaned back, twirling his cane.

"Really? All you seem to do is follow Cinder like a pair of baby ducks following their mother! You could have had me fooled." Roman taunted. Standing up, Mercury was prepared to kill the master criminal, before Neo's umbrella was shoved into his face. A glare marred her features as she wordlessly threatened to kill anyone who touched Roman.

"Enough!" Cinder yelled, her eyes coming to life as fire poured out of them. In fear, everyone backed off, trying their best not to be the center of Cinders wrath. Looking at the group assembled, she closed her eyes, ridding herself of the flame around her eyes. With a deep breath, she opened her eyes, directing them to Roman. "I want to get this meeting over with as soon as possible. Roman, where is Garfiel Tinsel?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Roman answered, shrugging as if he didn't care in the slightest of where the cub was. "While we were chasing one of Reds little friends, he just upped and disappeared! For all I care, he could be swimming with the fishes right now!"

"You know that wouldn't be good, Roman." Cinder responded, her voice strict and to the point. Roman looked down, silently agreeing with her. "If Garfiel dies, it may be difficult to draw in more potential Fang members. Even with our increased supply of Magic Users, it takes more that just a clap of their hands to draw them in. Garfiel was able to demonstrate with sheer power alone what they could possibly attain."

"Yeah, and with the… 'potion' you bought from our secret benefactor, it may unlock Magic abilities, but it has a seventy-five percent chance of killing them." Roman said, shaking his head. Of course that little tidbit was kept from members seeking power. Even then, they would need to be trained in his to use that powers they had been granted. Only after that were they able to stand on par with base Aura users(5). "Only around three out of ten tend to survive the ordeal. We're running low on recruits as it is, and with them dying left and right, we might not be able to continue with The Breach."

"That's why we'll hold more Faction Meetings." Cinder said, as if it was the simplest thing to do. It wasn't. It took time and a ton of planning to get the cops off their back, and then to get the word out took even longer. The White Fang was a terrorist organization, not your local fast food restaurant. "If Garfiel hasn't shown up by the next Meeting, we'll assume the worst case scenario. We will have to just make use of the Magic Users at our disposal."

"What's the chance of any if those girls killing Garfiel though?" Mercury spoke, thinking of the possibility of them actually committing homicide. "Those girls think their heroes, they wouldn't even come close to scratching him, let alone cutting off his head."

"Those girls are way too childlike." Emerald agreed, a sneer on her face. "Their supposed to be Huntsmen, but they treat this like a game!(6) I just want to beat some reality into those brats, especially their leader!"

"Either way, it's more work for me." Roman complained, lifting his cap and scratching his head. With a sigh, he looked at Cinder with a bored look. "Speaking of work, mind filling me in on why exactly we're using… Magic? I mean, don't get me wrong, I can see its practical use, but sending so many Faunus to the slaughter house just for a little power up seems a little excessive, don't you think?"

"This is more than just a 'little' power up, Roman." Cinder spoke, her voice heavy and easy to read. "You've seen what Garfiel is able to do, and there is no end to the types of abilities these Magic Users possess. To destroy the ground beneath your feet with just a thought? Imagine what else these Divine Protections could grant our minions."

"That's exactly what's got me so worried, Cinder!" Roman said. "Imagine if a group of these Magic Users decide enough is enough, and attack us! We'll be sitting ducks to Red and her merry friends while we slaughter each other! Shouldn't we have, I don't know, a leash on them!?"

"The White Fang is our leash." Mercury spoke up, gaining the attention of the group. "We aren't just passing around the key to power to anyone; We're passing it to the White Fang. The people who join them want to get back at humans, not overthrow Sienna."

"Exactly." Cinder agreed. "These pawns aren't striving for anything else other than to protect their families. If they try to backstab the White Fang, then they would become a target not just for us, but the whole of the Fang."

"Ok, then that's one problem down, now here's another." Roman said, bringing up another topic. "We're running out of 'potions', how are we going to get more? With each Fang member getting one each, we basically cleared the shelf of these blasted things!"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that, dear Roman." Cinder said, a twisted smile making it way to her face. An uneasy feeling came over him as he looked at her face, but stowed it away. Cinder wasn't looking to cause him any harm, so there was no need to worry.

"Hey, what're we gonna do about team RWBY anyways?" Mercury asked, bringing up a topic that had been bothering him. "They've been getting more and more personal with our operations. Shouldn't we, like, kill them or something?"

"No, that would draw to much attention to us." Cinder spoke, answering his question. "If we attack now, it'll only make the infiltration to the CCT that much harder. We can't afford to lose that chance."

"What about during the Dance then?" Emerald suggested, eager to spill Team RWBY's blood. "We're trying to get all the students that want to go there already, we could wipe them out then!"

"Hmm." Cinder hummed, thinking of the possibility. If they used Neo's and Emeralds ability at the same time to make it look like they were fighting Grimm… "Let me think about that. While it would indeed reduce the number of combatants for the Breach, I don't want to make any unnecessary moves."

"Well, I do hope you end up Killing the brats." Roman spoke, liking the idea of the Huntsmen being out of his hair. "That would make future plans easier for me, so I'm all for it to massacre the Academy Upstarts!"

"Ugh, it feels so wrong agreeing with someone like you, Roman!" Emerald said as she stuck her tongue out. No one was sure if it was in jest or to tick him off, but Roman just smiled.

"I could say the same about being around you, dearie!" Roman shot back, causing Mercury to let out a chuckle. Frowning, Emerald elbowed his gut.

"Our next order if business." Cinder spoke, ignoring her puppets musings. "This one involves The World Above."

"Oh great, Fantasy Island." Emerald said, rolling her eyes. In truth, she didn't really enjoy any creature that came from there, or anyone who wielded Magic. It was detestable, how people from such a fantastic world as theirs could be filled with almost as much strife as Remnant.

"This one involves some of the Kingdom of Lugnica's priestesses." Cinder spoke, remembering the news she had received from their informant in Haven. "From what I've been told, a few of the candidates for Lugnica's future King are making there way around Remnant, speaking to the Headmasters of the Academies."

"What? Why would they be here?" Mercury asked, having thorough knowledge of Lugnica and how unknown they were to the world of Remnant. "From what I remember, the public doesn't even know they exist! Why would they want to travel across Remnant?"

"Obviously to sightsee, Dumbass." Emerald insulted, coming to the logical conclusion. Mercury glared at her, considering blasting off a few of her toes.

"Actually, it seems one of them wishes to connect our worlds." Cinder spoke, shocking Mercury. "From what our mole told us, she sees this as a chance to rekindle old friendships. Why this even matters to us? Well, she also wishes to rid the world of Grimm."

"O~h. That's not good." Roman said, considering the possibility of Lugnica helping with the massacre of Grimm. While he didn't know much of the World Above, he knew that it was real, and that Lugnica was a real powerhouse when it wanted to be.

"Exactly, that is the reason why she will be our next target." Cinder spoke, pulling up a picture of the Priestess. Showing it to the group that was gathered, they all took in her image. Silver hair, a beautiful smile, a deep lilac eyes and a white pupil. To Mercury and Roman, she could have been considered a goddess in Beauty. "This is our target. Our task is to assassinate her without drawing any attention to ourselves. Her name is

Emilia."

* * *

Somewhere on the Dragon Continent

There are many, many beings within the world of Remnant. The Humans, who cling so helplessly to their hope of peace. The Faunus, engulfed by rage and hatred for the sins of the past. The Giants of The World Above, hiding from the Crusaders from the floating continent. The Half-Breeds, who repent for what their parents have created. Immortals, who transfer bodies to finish a task given by the gods, or stomach lovers who's blood thirst cannot be sated. There are many, many creatures in the world of Remnant, but none were as mysterious or feared as the Grimm.

The Grimm, as the people of Remnant called them, are beasts that seem to mock the appearance of the wildlife of Remnant. Their skin, unlike an animals, are made of a solid black material. Their bones, unlike the living, are worn on the outside of their bodies. They don't bleed, like the undead. They don't eat, like their free of sin. They think, but only of their prey. Their hearts feed off of Humanities fear, not of their flesh. One may peg the question; why? Why do they kill, if their meal is the fear of humanity? Perhaps that is why; because humanity will fear them.

But no one knows what goes through the heads of the monsters that resides outside of the comfort of Human Kinds walls. No one, except the Queen herself.

The world didn't know of the one who lived with these monsters. The one who loved and cared for these monstrosities. The one who gave them direction, a sole purpose in life. They didn't know of their Queen, Salem.

So when a man, dressed as a jester, walked in her castle with a trail of dead Grimm left in his wake, one could understand both the surprise and anger Salem had felt in that moment. The cries of her Grimm reverberated within her castle, which she paid no heed to. To her, while they may be her children, they were mere tools for her plan. What angered her more than anything, was that this man dared to step foot within her domain. Standing, her minion Tyrian, at her neck and call as always, didn't hesitate to point his Wrist Blades at the intruder.

"Who the HELL are you!?" Tyrian yelled, waiting for the command by Salem to gun him down. He knew better than to attack without the order from Salem. As ever, he was loyal and faithful, if not with a little screws loose.

"A~h. Wh~y did it ha~ve to be me who ca~me here?" The Jester spoke aloud, ignoring the Tyrian's question. The sound of the safety being turned off emitted through the room, showing that he was ready to gun down the Jester. Tyrian refrained though, doing his best to not kill him, as that was a command Salem had yet to give. "Now I ha~'ve to introdu~ce myself, and I would really like to no~t do tha~t."

"You better introduce yourself! I don't care if my lady is here, I will tear you limb from limb if I have to just to get you to show the respect she deserves!" Tyrian yelled, his anger flaring at the accidental disrespect. Salem watched the exchange, her own anger flaring, but she reined it in; it wouldn't do for her to kill everyone that made it to her castle, even if it was in such a disrespectful manner.

"Tyrian, calm and lay down your arms." Salem commanded, her eyes never leaving the Jester. If he was able to make it past all her Grimm without a scratch on him, he was a force to be reckoned with. Obviously, he wouldn't stand a chance against her, but Salem didn't want to lose a pawn like Tyrian. After a minute of silence, Salem decided to speak up. "Welcome to my home, Jester. I must ask, was there a reason why you marched into my domain without bothering to knock? Or did you come here to kill me?"

"Great, now a sca~ry lady is talking to me. I suppo~se that she is the one I'm supposed to talk to~?" He spoke, ignoring Salem's question. With a deep groan and a bow, the Jester did what he was supposed to do from the beginning. "My na~me is Hector, just Hector, I a~m the Archbisho~p of Tristiti~a, or The Warlock of Tristiti~a, representing the Witches Sect. It's is nice to me~et you, I guess."

"I guess!?" Tyrian repeated, his anger flaring once more. "Do you know who you're in the presence of!? This is the Queen of Grimm! The one who holds fears hand! How dare you give such a half-assed response!"

"Tyrian." Salem spoke again, being the visibly calmer of the two. While she was angered that his introduction was half-assed, she was more angered by the fact that he didn't answer her question. Turning back to the ever growing dead man, Salem continued. "Now, Hector, I did not ask for your name or who you are affiliated with. I asked what you are doing here in my domain. If you do not answer, I will personally remove you from my home."

"Gre~at, now I'm being thre~atened! This is why I didn't want to come he~re!" Hector complained, actual sorrow showing on his features. Salem had about enough, and almost got up before he spoke again. "I ca~me here by some obscure o~rders to make a parley with yo~u. I hoped I used the right wo~rd, cause that would be extremely e~mbarassing if I didn't!"

"Seeing as we at almost enemies, I suppose a parley may be in order." Salem said, listening to the madman's speech. Indeed, she was on the brink of killing him, and still was, but she stayed her hand, if only out of curiosity. "Now, what is it that you wish to make arrangements with?"

"A~h, at least were moving this alo~ng! Even if it is a dra~g." Hector complained, his speech grinding the gears of the two villains. "I have been se~nt to ask if you would ki~ndly like to jo~in forces? I hope you agree, I re~ally don't want to fi~ght."

"Oh?" Salem said, intrigue crossing her tone. While Salem's goal was to destroy Humanity, she didn't mind having them work for her for an exchange for a little more time to live. "And, pray tell, who is it that wishes to… work with me?"

"Ah, I ca~n't call her by na~me. I can only ca~ll her a Witch." Hector spoke cryptically, causing both to look in surprise. Tyrian, because this Jester would dare consider someone else higher than his Queen. Salem, for the only beings who called themselves Witch's would be from the World Above. A detestable, and dustless wasteland that held as many monstrosities as Remnant.

"You don't happen to mean Envy?" Salem asked, curious. She had heard of the Witch of Creations story, but she personally didn't believe it. A woman, who tended to the flowers and animals with love and care, ridding the world of Sin? It was a dumb and childlike fantasy that only those who wither in despair would believe. But even then, every story held a bit of truth to it. Ozpin was proof of that. "If so, I have to ask, what is her motive? She obviously cares much for the world, so why would she wish to destroy it?"

"N~o! Not Envy." Hector said, surprising Salem. One of the other Witch's were trying to get in contact with her? Weren't they all eaten by the Witch of Envy? "I can't spe~ak her Title, as she commanded me to se~al my li~ps! I wish I could te~'ll you, 'cause I don't want to fi~ght, please fo~give me!"

"It is fine." Salem said, waving a hand in dismissal. While it did make her curious, she could wait until the Witch showed herself. It wasn't like she was going to die in the next few centuries. There will be other times to dig into who exactly she was partnering herself with. "For now, I wish to know what exactly you can offer me. I already know the Witch's wield incredible power, but unless they are willing to act the part of pawns, I have no use for them."

"I can a~nswer that, I kno~w, even if it does suck that I ha~ve to." Hector complained once more. "From wha~t little I've been told, we've been a~ble to break apart so~me of the Witch's Cult to our ca~use. While still a ma~jority serve Envy, we pro~bably have at least twenty-five per~cent with u~s!"

"Oh?" Salem questioned, pleased with this bit of news. The Witch Cult was a large organization, even reaching part of its claws into Remnant, even if Remnants people weren't officially apart of it. That was the reason the Black Fang could break apart so easily, as they were just creations of the Cult, not Envy. "Are you offering me full control of your members, or a joint deal between the two of us. Know this, I will be happy with either."

"We are offering you fu~ll contro~l! Even if I find tha~t to be a ba~d idea~!" The Jester complained, to which Salem ignored, but Tyrian bristled at. Salem, holding in her glee, smiled warmly at the Jester.

"What should she wish in return?" Salem asked, her smile holding a form of uncanny happiness. If she were to gain followers not of the White Fang, followers she could control directly, she couldn't even imagine the chaos she could bring to the world. "I wouldn't be so foolish as to think that this deal has a dual edge to it."

"O~h?" Jester said, scratching his brown hair. He looked down, before to Tyrian and back to Salem. With a sigh, he shrugged. "She rea~lly didn't tell me to do mu~ch after tha~t. She most likely wa~s just offering you the pa~wns."

Salem smiled wickedly at this. A Witch was offering her power on a unprecedented level, and with no strings attached? This was almost too good to be true.

"While I wouldn't normally question such good fortune, I have to ask, do you by chance know why she would like to have this partnership? She must know of what I plan to do, no doubt." Salem said, wishing to know more. It was mostly out of curiosity, but she couldn't help the inkling of suspicion that crawled into her mind.

"She is ju~st curious on what you'll do~." Hector shrugged, not really knowing why the Witch wanted this. He was just given a choice: die, or join her. He chose to join her, even if the world was a pile of crap in his eyes.

"I see… Is that all, or is there more you wish to speak with me?" Salem asked, Hector's troubled look drawing her attention. Of course, it was troubled the moment he entered, but now it seemed to hit full force.

"A~h, yes. I was to~Id to tell yo~u that the Cult members will be here in a we~ek. So I don't rea~lly need to stay here, do I?" The Jester questioned, seeming eager to leave Salem's domain. With a smile, and a wave of her hand, a small orb flowed from behind her. Round, and full of crimson, it made clicking noises as it floated to the tired Jester.

"This is a Seer, a special Grimm I created myself." Salem spoke, pride in the monstrosity she had created. "With this, it shall allow you to traverse my domain without the creatures of Grimm causing you any trouble. Take this as a thank you, from me."

"A~h! Tha~nk yo~u!" Hector thanked, genuinely thankful for the Grimm, no matter how disgusted he looked. "I, uh, rea~lly want to leave here as so~on as possible, so I'll take my leave."

With a bow, a turn on his heel, and a few taps of his feet, the Jester known as Hector disappeared from the duo's sight. A silence took over the room, before a fist made contact with the table, a furious scream making itself known.

"How dare he!" Tyrian yelled, flipping off the place Hector last stood. "How dare that insignificant bug! How dare he walk into your domain like he owned the place! How dare he speak to the Queen with such disrespect! How dare h-"

"Tyrian." Salem spoke, turning the Scorpion Faunus blood to freeze over. She spoke light, yet it still carried enough authority to silence the madman. Calmly, she looked over to her pawn, a smile gracing her lips. "There is no need to be angered by the likes of Hector the Jester. While he may indeed speak with disrespect, it surely wasn't his intent. From the stories I've heard, he Mus be the most normal radical of the Cult."

"B-But! He-" Salem rose a hand, silencing the man.

"Enough." Salem commanded, shutting up the Scorpion. "He has done us a service, even when it was obvious he wished to be elsewhere. For now, we will allow him to leave in peace. Besides, with this, our plans could be well on their way to completion." Salem smiled, glee marring her face. "There will be nothing to stop what is to come."

* * *

Vale

Beacon Academy

While indeed there are many creatures in the world of Remnant, none have been so pivotal as that of Man Kind. While their sister race, the Faunus, fought and hid from these creatures of light, Humanity has fought and pushed back against the Grimm. A light, to the ever expanding darkness that engulfs the world. A torch, to the darkness that surrounds. A flame of hope, in the abyss of despair.

"I'm telling you, he's real!" Ruby yelled, waving her hands in the air. "He was there last night! Even Sun said he was real! Why won't you believe me!?"

"I do believe you, Ruby." Yang replied, taking her seat for the next class. Some of the other students paid them some attention, before going back to their business, used to Ruby's antics. Sighing, she leaned on her hand. "It's just hard to believe that someone, who is from the World Above mind you, came down here and kicked some White Fang butt." Yang gave a shrug. "For all we know, he could be some conman trying to impress young girls."

"Also, isn't the World Above just a fairytale?" Weiss chimed in, opening her textbook to the appropriate page. Looking over at Ruby, she continued her speech. "Why would you believe that someone coming from a fictional world, who could use magic, to be anything but a conman? You need to grow out of these fantasies Ruby."

"Weiss, not you too!" Ruby cried, trying to find a way to convince them. Yet unless she could show off his powers to them personally, then there was no point.

"I wouldn't be so sure that these are mere fantasies." Blake spoke up, her head deep in a book. Drawing the attention of everyone in the group, she continued. "Last night Sun wouldn't shut up about Ruby's friend. All he kept talking about was how 'awesome' his powers were. Sun said that he was able to cut off all the Fang members senses." Blake closed her book, looking at her team. "I'm not sure about you, but that doesn't sound like a power Aura can create."

"Then maybe it's his Semblance?" Weiss asked, ignoring Ruby who kept proclaiming it was Magic. "I mean, I have my Glyphs, Ruby her Speed, and Yang her… temper tantrum-"

"Hey!"

"-maybe it's his Semblance to cut off someone's senses?" Weiss suggested. They all looked between each other, before Ruby spoke up again.

"But he was able to create another hand! Another freaking hand! His Semblance can't be to cut someone's senses off or something! It's Magic!" Ruby said, getting excited, stars practically shining in her eyes.. Ruby Rose was a sucker for Magic, Knights and other fantasy related topics, so if there was even the slimmest of chances that Fantasy was a Reality, she would defend it with her life.

"Hay! Whatcha guys talking about?" A voice spoke up behind them. Turning to the new voice, they were greeted by a multitude of people: Jaune Arc, a Huntsmen below Huntsmen. Pyrrha Nikos, the world renowned gladiator. Nora Valkyrie, the muscle of Beacon. Last, and Finally, Lie Ren, arguable ninja of the group.

"Hey Jaune!" Ruby responded eagerly, having knowledge that the farm boy was an avid Fantasy geek like her. "We were talking about how this one guy I met last night could use Magic!"

"Or a variation of his Semblance." Weiss spoke, trying to throw out the possibility of Magic. Yang nodded along, agreeing with Weiss, as Blake ignored everyone. If they weren't going to listen to her, then why even talk.

"Magic?" Surprisingly, it wasn't the young Arc who spoke first. With shocked eyes, every one turned to Lie Ren, who took on the appearance of surprise. Usually, Ren was content with just listening, and making the ever present observation. To be the first to speak was practically unheard of.

"Yeah!" Ruby jumped, ignoring the odd behavior. "There was this guy, he was able to make a cool looking claw come out of his hand! And that's not all! He said he was from the World Above!"

"Isn't that a fairytale?" Pyrrha asked, causing Ruby to slam her head on her part of the desk. Comedic tears trailed her cheeks, as she sniffled. Covering her mouth, Pyrrha adopted a worried look. "Oh! I'm sorry!"

"It's fine." Yang spoke for Ruby, rubbing the girls back. "Ruby is just getting her hopes up. She needs to be knocked down a few pegs."

"But, but it's real!" Ruby cried, banging her hand on the desk. "Why doesn't anybody believe me!?"

"Magic does exist!" Jaune spoke, confidence lining his voice. He took his seat in the row above Team RWBY, as Ruby herself snapped to attention, hope lining her eyes. With a smirk, Jaune pulled out a deck of cards, beginning to shuffle them. Ruby watched curiously, before Jaune held out the deck to her. "Choose one, Ruby Rose, and I'll show Magic you'll never forget!"

A round of silence covered the group, as they all stared at the cards Jaune eagerly held out. Slowly, as the silence continued, Jaune's smirk wavered. Looking between his group and Ruby, he nervously chuckled. Shaking his hand, he motioned for Ruby to choose a card. However, instead of choosing a card, Ruby grabbed the deck and threw it to the ground, her cheeks red from embarrassment and frustration.

"That's not what I meant!" At that instant, as those words left Reds mouth, Yang and Nora let out jolly laughter, holding their stomachs as they tried to hold it in. Pyrrha held a hand over her mouth as she giggled lightly. Weiss shook her head, trying to figure out how Jaune even got into Beacon. Blake just shook her head while Ren looked to be in deep thought, his face serious. Jaune, however, looked extremely confused, looking between the group.

"What? Why are you guys laughing?" Jaune asked, confused as he watched Nora and Yang laugh. Ruby just sat down, sulking whilst thinking that no one believed her. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Jaune looked to the giggling Pyrrha.

"She wasn't talking about a Magic Trick, Jaune!" Pyrrha said amidst giggle. "She was talking about Magic, Magic! Like Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth Magic!"

"Wait! Magic Exists!?" Jaune busted out, standing in excitement. Having not know what Aura was until the Beacon Entrance Ceremony, he thought that was all there was in the world of Remnant. To know that actual Magic Existed brought him a whole new form of excitement. "Why didn't anybody tell me!"

"Because it doesn't exist, you dolt." Weiss said, shooting down the young Huntsman. "Ruby just ran into a scum of a man who thought playing tricks on a young girls mind would be funny. Obviously, Ruby was foolish enough to believe the conman."

"Oh…" Jaune said dejectedly, sitting down and mimicking Ruby's behavior.

"Why doesn't anybody believe!" Ruby cried laying her arms over the desk. Yang and Nora's laughter slowly came to a halt, Valkyrie hiccupping.

"Am I interrupting something?" A new voice spoke up. Looking up, they were met with the ever fashionable Neptune, a awkward smile on his face.

"Neptune!" Weiss said in glee, her minor crush affecting her voice. In the back, Jaune gave a groan as he slammed his head on the desk. "What are you doing here? Aren't you and Sun supposed to be in Ooblecks class right now?"

"Well, yeah, but here's the problem- I can't find Sun." Neptune shrugged, gaining the attention of everyone. "This morning he said he was going to 'check up' on Blake, and we haven't seen him since."

"He did show up at our dorm level this morning." Blake answered, closing her book. "He was mostly wanting to talk, but before he left he said he was heading to the Vale Police Station we were at last night."

"Why would he go back there?" Yang asked, curious as to what the fellow blonde was planning.

"He said something about changing some guys mind about Faunus. He left after that, so I wasn't able to ask about what he meant." Blake said. At the worried look Neptune gave, Blake gave a small smile. "Don't worry, I'm sure he's fine. If he was in trouble, I'm sure he would call us."

* * *

Vale

Local Bar

Even with all the light in the world, there will always be a hand to snuff it out. Whether it was willing, or unwilling, remains yet to be seen.

"Ok, seriously, how did we end up like this!?" Sun yelled as he ducked a punch from a drunk Faunus. Back pedaling, he jumped forward, slamming his fist into the man, knocking him unconscious. Sun was forced to lean back however, as a chair came an inch from his face. Bringing out his staff, he hit the man in the leg, then the chin.

"I don't know! Ask the racist Pig that tried to swindle me out of my money!" Subaru yelled back, using his Unseen Hands to catch someone's fist, using the other to uppercut him. As the hands disappeared, he dodged left as a glass bottle passed an inch from his head. "Hey! That could've killed me! I thought this was a brawl, not a death match!"

"I don't think calling him a disgusting Pig was the right thing to do though! Maybe if you tried being less racist, we would be drinking some beer right now or something!" Sun yelled back as he jumped over someone's back, kicking another in the face. Using the staff, he pushed off the ceiling, slamming down on the man's back.

"Maybe he shouldn't have called me a pink skin! That's racist on Two levels!" Subaru yelled as he had an Unseen Hand grab a chair and smash it over someone's head, shattering the wood. Grabbing a leg of the chair, he used it as a weapon to hit another in the face with.

"Honestly!? I can't argue with that!" Sun yelled as he avoided a slash from an overly eager combatant with a broken bottle of Glass. Using the staff to push the guys head down, Sun kneed him in the jaw, knocking him unconscious. As the last of the bars men fell, Sun looked over to the heavily panting Subaru. "Even then, I'm never taking you to a bar again!"

"No, we're never going to a Faunus bar again!" Subaru corrected, pointing at the blond monkey, who held his staff behind his neck. "All there is, is racist Faunus in here! Literally the first Faunus I talked to in here told me to screw off because I was Human!"

"Maybe it's because the first thing you said is about how it smelled in here! Of course that would piss off a few Faunus!" Sun defended, as they walked out the door of the Bar.

"I was talking about the low quality beer!" Subaru yelled back, their friendly banter continuing. "I'm not stupid enough to be racist in a crowd of Faunus! It was only when you called out my racism when everyone started being a prick."

"Oh? My bad then." Sun apologized, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. With a sigh, Subaru shook his head. "Seriously though, that some sick skills you got there! How did you hit them without touching them!? Was it telekinesis?"

"Something like that." Subaru admitted. There was no point in hiding it if Sun had seen it first hand. Stretching, Subaru flexed his muscles, the fight having worn him down a little. 'I wonder what Ozpin's test will be? Hopefully it isn't too hard.'

"So, wanna go to another bar?"

"Hell no!"

* * *

Vale

Airship to Beacon

In this world, there are many, many Huntsmen. Some, useful, some, not so useful. But be it if you were A Hunter or not, every being of Remnant knew of Team CFVY. The team, so skilled in Grimm hunting that no one even dared to step up and challenge them. Difficulty was not an issue for any member, as each assignment they passed with ease. Yet that doesn't mean they didn't feel fatigue.

"Ha~h, it feels so good to be back at Beacon." Velvet spoke, leaning over the edge of the Airship. Her bunny ears dropped, too tired to fight against the wind of the aircraft.

"You really need to get in shape, Velvet. I can already see flabs hanging off your arms." Coco spoke up, causing Velvet to squeak and attempt to hide her body.

"Awe, you don't have to hide your body from us, Velvet. We all have seen your flabs at some point." Fox said, teasing the ever blushing Bunny. Coco snickered.

"…" Yatsuhashi.

"I don't know about you guys, but I can't wait to get into a nice bath and soak away all the Grimm off me!" Fox said, stretching. As they watched Beacon come into view, a smile formed on his lips. "I can't wait for what's in store for me!"

* * *

1) **Non-Canon. Well, as of yet. Gusteko in Re:Zero is known as 'The Holy Land' and spirits exist in Re:Zero, so I draw my conclusions from there. We may get more information as the last 6-8 arcs get published, but I doubt it. Tappei is good at making the world feel alive and different, he'll probably do something clever that I won't be able to shut up about for months. Plus there's a possibility that it won't be touched upon, as all the Events in Re:Zero have taken place in Lugnica. I don't see them traveling outwards besides the IF chapters, like how Subaru and Rem explored Kararagi in her IF.**

2) **Canon wise, Subaru isn't that good at picking up social cues, and through all the IF's that's not really touched upon. I mostly looked into the Dark Lord IF for this one, since this Subaru is a mix between that and Canon. I guess I could look into Echidna's IF, since he's serious there, but I'm unsure. I definitely won't be looking into the Harem IF, since I hate Harems (surprisingly some of my favorite series are Harem's, but that's because it's done good. And they're creative).**

3) **Every Neo is an OC. Every Neo has a different personality. I'm going off of how she acts in canon, and adding a few more stuff into her. I did the same with Pyrrha, which will become prominent in a later arc (Oh, it's dark. And I'm going by my standards of dark, which is like watching a Red Room). I'm pretty good with assuming how characters act by just seeing a few clips of how they act. Even their speech patterns. This is why it's so hard to use Re:Zero characters, because they all seem genuine and unique. If I had to say who was the most difficult to write for either? Probably Ruby and Emilia. I write in a dark fashion. These two are the polar opposite of that. They are untainted by sin, Emilia going so far as to blame herself for the stuff Subaru does in Arc 4.**

4) **Hah. Puns**

5) **Aura users and Magic Users are on par with Each other. More on this in "Better Explanation- Magic Users"**

6) **Funny how the one who ended up killing Garfiel sees life as a game**

* * *

Character Bio

 **Aura User: Sun Wukong- Active**

 **Semblance: Via Sun**

 **Strength: C-B**

 **Speed: B-A**

 **Durability: B**

 **Endurance: A**

 **Intelligence: C**

 **Agility: A-S**

 **Sun Wukong, a curious and interesting character. He is a laid back, and kind soul, who wishes the best for everyone, even if they aren't entirely on the write path. So caring he is, that he would even bother himself with Pride, to do his best to change his mind of Faunus.**

 **His Semblance is as Special as anyone's else's. The ability to make light clones is almost a direct reference to his personality. To be able to reach and touch those he couldn't with his bare hands is a ability not many have. The drawback however is that this needs focus, that his hyperactive mind doesn't seem to possess.**

 **Keep an Eye on him. If there is a slight chance to corrupt his soul, we shall do so.**

* * *

World of Remnant: Gates

 **Many in this world don't know about the World Above, or the 'Gates' that connect the two. Well, I guess what I said was wrong- everybody knew of The World Above, but brushed it off as childhood Fairytales. How it came about that? Well, the only one who knew that won't tell anybody.**

 **The Gates are one of the things we do know however. Once upon a time, Remnant and The World Above used to be separate, at least to the point that they would have seen each other as Sci-Fi and Fantasy respectively. Due to a catastrophic event that has been lost in time however, a gateway has been connecting the two.**

 **It used to be that these Gates couldn't be controlled, but with some brilliant Magic and Scientific minds coming together, they were able to connect the two worlds. Again, we don't know how the people of Remnant forgot about the World Above, or why they thought they were fairytales, but ol' Oz knows.**

 **It makes me wonder what he's keeping so secret behind those closed doors of his, that he wouldn't even tell his circle.**

* * *

Better Explanation- Magic

 **Magic, unlike Aura, is the ability to warp reality in the users Favor.**

 **Aura is the ability to strengthen the body, healing said body faster than normal, and giving the User extra speed and time to process events around them. Basically, it's the power up of Mario's shroom, to a lesser extent.**

 **By extension, if one were to spend time working on their Aura and refine it, they would come across their Semblance. Each Semblance is special, and while some may have similar abilities, they aren't all the same. Take Neo's and Emeralds abilities for instance, they are both illusion based, but are different.**

 **I decided to change up how Magic works in this fic to bring it on par, and even beyond the power of Aura.**

 **Magic starts out the opposite of Aura. While Aura focuses on the Body, Magic focuses on the outside the body. It works similar to Dust, but is more refined and useful. However, Magic isn't able to be used as effortlessly as Aura. While Aura has and on and off switch, and it takes practice to perfect its use, so does Magic.**

 **Magic takes time to learn to use perfectly. While you'd be able to, say if you're a Fire User, spread fire aimlessly, you wouldn't be able to concentrate it as shown the Witch Cult doing. Fire can be concentrated, and used as a bomb. Wind can push, but if focused can become invisible blade that can reach endlessly. Earth can shake the Earth, but if focused can create a wall of protection. Water can heal minor wounds, but with enough practice can raise the dead.**

 **With enough practice, Magic could also be used as a way to enhance the body, but that takes tremendous dedication, unless your extremely skilled- Crusch, Ferris, etc. The most common way to get to Superhuman peaks though is to train your body separately, as Magic is a different topic than the body. We can see this being the case with multiple characters- Wilhelm, Al, Knights of Lugnica and Subaru himself in Arc 6 after a year time-skip.**

 **In the mean time, for Subaru's case at least, his Uniform allows him to receive more damage as it's enchanted. While I was reviewing what I could do to avoid Subaru dying an excessive amount of time, I realized Enchanted Items existed in this world. Case in point, Elsa's cloak deflects any magic damage, but disappears once it's used. So, cloaks and Armors that are enchanted to give power ups wouldn't be to far off from fictional reality.**

 **Now, I'm treating Divine Protections like Semblane's. Each are special, but there are similarities. In canon, a lot of Divine Protections are the same, but here there aren't. Well... except if your Reinhardt. He has practically every useful Divine Protection. These gifts can go from being able to see the material something is made from, to even being able to speak to animals. They're endless.**

 **Lastly, what am I going to do with the Maidens, since their powers are supposed to be rare? Truthfully, I'm not sure. But I have a few ideas. Like them being able to control the weather itself, or just bumping them up to near Reinhardt level (against this). I have a few ideas that are a ton more creative, since that's what I'm going for with this story, but I'll keep them to myself. If anyone has any ideas, I'll be happy to hear them.**

* * *

 _Story Rant-_

 **Well! That's the end of Arc 1! And what a ride it has been!**

 **I have learned how to treat characters, and my preferred writing style!**

 **I have learned how to write fight scenes and be creative with them!**

 **And I have learned I need to cut this cliché 'Evil side' shit out! Don't worry, it was never going to be a thing. I was just thinking it was going to be cool since I can imagine it. What you guys see could probably be the complete opposite.**

 **Well, there's not much to point out this chapter. I guess the only thing I want to say is that I set up a ton of arcs with this one arc. Some of them I have a feeling was too obscure, or hidden too well in the open.**

 **I guess I could point out the obvious thing- Subaru's backstory. If you hadn't noticed by now, Subaru isn't transported from our world. That is mostly due to the backstory I want to have for him, and a working theory of mine. I practically slapped you guys in the face with it already, so if you don't know, well… ask me and I might tell. That may sound rude, but I'm unsure how well hidden it is.**

 **Next is… hmm… I'm actually having trouble thinking of one. Oh! Subaru's racism! Yeah, that crap won't be going away for a while! I'm not going to have his opinion change overnight. It may take a month or two in story- probably longer. He detests anyone that isn't Human, except those who prove themselves to be trustworthy, as with Sun. So, guess who is in this story that is a Faunus? Come on, hit me.**

 **Final thing. The Witch of Creation- created it because, well, why not? Everything starts with something, and I find i5 poetic that way. I'll remove it if people start hating it, but for now it stays.**

 **Hmm. That's about it, I guess? Not much to go on here.**

* * *

 _Personal Rant_

 **So, as someone who has extremely low confidence in their writing and story telling, in happy to see people actually coming back to this crap! While I was writing this, which I was thinking of how to word it, I kept going back to my stats to see how many people even bother with this, and I'm happy to say we're near 1,000 views and over half of that is Visitors! Here, let me get the confetti!**

 **Seriously though? Thank you guys. I was actually considering making this story another run and done, however with the fact that I've created some sick and demented arcs later on, I can't give up this early! There's also the fact that this became my second favorited/followed fic I have wrote (Love you guys)! Well, I'm not sure if I'll be able to answer all the questions left by this world until awhile after the Vytal festival! That's a long, long way away. There will be a lot of plot holes that will be left if I end it there.**

 **Only problem I find is the fact that I fear I might be writing to little. Well, that was before I looked at some of my favorite fics, and they average around 10k per chapter. I, on the other hand, average 16-22k without AN. My fear comes back, however, that I'm not good at prolonging scenes. I'm a 'to the point' kind of guy. This is shown heavily in Cinders Meeting. I kept jumping topics, not staying on one for too long, throwing information left and right like it's going out of style. I need to learn to slow down and time my information.**

 **Though, again, what do you guys think of my pacing? Too fast? Too slow? Just right?**

* * *

Reviews

Victormt2live\- **I am extremely glad you pointed this out. Re-reading it once more, I completely agree it was rushed, and I can attest that it was rushed during that scene. The main issue I had, was not killing Penny. I had already found a way for Penny to be killed, and I couldn't have that. She's needed for something later, and her death would have been pointless. Regulus however has a purpose in his death. This will be shown at the end of Arc 3. I am considering rewriting that though.**

 **The other thing about that fight, it was meant to be fast paced. While Subaru's and Garfiel's fight was slow and drawn out, Penny Vs The Cult was supposed to establish the feel of urgency and the quick thinking of each party. From dashing around the city, to Penny being unable to think fast enough to save those beneath her, to the Cult hatching a plan to kill them in the Alley. That is no excuse however, as I am just explaining the purpose of why I tried to be fast paced.**

 **Now, I suppose I worded the weakness wrong. Terribly wrong. The ability wont weaken, ever. The ability won't be continually running out of uses or something like that. What I was trying to say is his mental state won't be completely intact. It isn't just because of the trauma felt by over a million deaths or seeing friends die eternally. It also has to do with his backstory, that I gave a hint at.**

 **I guess I am scrapping the idea of it being a weakness, and changing it into more of a mental illness. Not directly caused by deaths, but his own physique. This is more of a sub-plot than an actual main plot.**

 **Of course, if like to know your response. Freaking changed my mind on the weakness thing, may change my mind on his insanity. Probably.**


	5. Initiation

**Welcome back! So this is the Initiation chapter! Never thought I'd get this far! Thank you! Also, thank you for 2 freaking reviews! And thank you for anybody new joining us! Welcome to chapter 5!**

 **Important! There's a section on the problem with Rem and Pairings down below. I hope you pay attention to this.**

* * *

In the World of Remnant, there are many professions that the people of the world could choose from. Anybody, with the right set of skills of course, can choose from a wide arrange of choices. From being a Janitor, to a cop, a electrician or even a corporate manager. The possibilities were limitless. Each and every job had a purpose, some more than others, and others practically being a waste of time. Probably one of the most important professions, however, had to be that of a Huntsmen.

Huntsmen- a simple word, but it held unbound significance to the denizens of Remnant. Not only for who they were, but for the sacrifice they gave to Remnant as a whole. The lives that were lost each day, combating an evil that was made not of reason, but insanity. The Huntsmen who risk their very lives to hold back the tide of despair that threatened to chip away at the walls of light. Their hands holding the torch of hope, while continually stepping over their fallen.

Huntsmen- The last hope for Mankind and Faunus alike. A beacon for the ships to follow. Warrior of light, fighting the never ending war against darkness. The pinnacle of maturity and respect. The perfect role models children should look up to.

Yet Huntsmen are not born, but made. Raised and trained to be warriors, their existence a mere existence a weapon against Grimm. Their life, sacred and harsh, are wrought with strife. It is not an easy task to be a Huntsmen, but those above will do anything in their power to see that they're used as the perfect pawns, always striving for the perfect end for themselves.

Ozpin, you will one day realize how useless your attempts to thwart me are, and when you do, I will gladly watch you burn.

* * *

Vale

Beacon Academy

Math Class

"When will this class e~nd!" Ruby quietly groaned as she slammed her head on the desk, a banging sound emitting from where she sat. The whole class looked at her curiously, before going back to their business. This was a ever growing normality within Beacon, specifically for those who knew one Ruby Rose. While the younger Hunter was especially skilled in combat, this didn't transition as well into education. While Ruby was known for her above average combat abilities, she was also know for her average to below average test scores. In her defense, growing up she believed that she didn't need to know the history of Remnant or any complicated math to cut a Grimm's head off, but what did she know? 'It isn't like I'm going to be calculating how many Grimm it takes just to clear a village… wait, will I!?'

"You should really pay more attention to the lecture, Ruby." Weiss said, the heiress poking Ruby's cheek with her pencil. Ruby pouted, not bothering to push the offending pencil away. "You may not know it, but one day these formulas are sure to help you in life, especially in life."

"No, I need to practice with my scythe if I want to be successful in life." Ruby replied, pushing the pencil out of her face. Sitting up, she leaned on her hands. "I'm not going to be a heiress of some fancy company, I'm going to be a Huntress that travels the world! Killing Grimm and rescuing damsels in distress… or something!"

"And every Hunter needs to have proper education. You are our team leader, and I won't settle with such a mediocre teammate holding the reins. Especially the leader herself."

"Says the girl who didn't know the difference between White Bread and Whole Grain!" Ruby teased, drawing out a small blush from Weiss.

"That has nothing to do with your lack of education!" Weiss said, trying to avoid the mishap in information the day prior. "A Huntsmen needs to be elegant, refined, and intelligent, and I'm afraid you lack all of those qualities!"

"Hey! I'm plenty elegant! I'll have you know, I was the main character in a play we had at my old school! I was told I was beautiful and elegant and all that stuff by the audience!" Ruby defended, a light blush to her cheek. Weiss smiled wryly.

"Oh, and who was the audience? Yang?" Weiss teased, causing the young Rose to blush even more. It was uncharacteristic of Weiss to openly tease anyone, but due to her close relationship with Ruby, she was an exception. Weiss normally just stuck with insults, such as 'Dolt' 'Rube' or 'Vazey.'

"And my Dad!" Ruby defended as her cheeks grew red. Weiss smile seemed to widen with unkempt joy at Ruby's flustered expression. As if called, Yang Xiao Long felt her hairs stand up, leaning into the duo's conversation.

"Oh! She was so cute!" Yang whispered, jumping in on the conversation. "When Ruby was young, she still had the cloak she is wearing right now, and it didn't fit her at all! She never took it off either, so when she was on stage, she couldn't stop waddling everywhere because she was scared she would trip!"

"Yang!" Ruby whispered louder, trying to get the older sister to stop talking of the past. Weiss smiled wider, enjoying where this was going.

"Oh! Oh! I think I still have some pictures on my scroll!" Yang whispered excitedly, reaching into her skirt pocket. Pulling it out, she opened it up, going to the gallery. She would have continued if Ruby hadn't ripped it out of her hands, much to the shock of Yang. "Hey! What're you doing!"

"I'm not letting anyone see those pictures!" Ruby said, flipping through the scroll, aiming to delete the childhood pictures. Frantic, Yang leaped onto Ruby, wrestling over the scroll. "Hey! Watch the face! Watch the face!"

"I'm not letting you delete those photos!" Yang yelled, pulling the scroll out of Ruby's hand, her superior strength showing through. "They're the only copy I have and it's too precious to just delete them!"

"Just ask Dad for them then! You know he has , like, a million copies!" Ruby yelled back, both forgetting they were in the middle of class. Weiss hid her face behind her book, ready for what was to come. "You better not show anybody either!"

"Or what!?" Yang smirked, punching her open palm. "You know you can't do anything to stop me!"

Before they could continue however, two chalk sticks made their way to Yang and Ruby's head, knocking them back. The Blank face of the math teacher held a glare that could only be worn by the devil himself. Both sisters shuddered under her glare, before sitting down in their respective seats. A snort made itself known, before another piece of chalk hit Nora in the forehead, knocking her out cold, impressing Ren. Silence overtook the classroom, no one speaking save for The teacher, her lecture continuing like always.

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

And with another loud bang, Ruby Rose slammed her head on the desk, a groan escaping her mouth. Once again, everyone gave her a look, some in annoyance, some in amusement, but all ignored her as they went back to listen to the lecture.

"When will this torment end!?"

* * *

Vale

Beacon Academy

Halls of Beacon

"I'm not sure if I fully agree with you taking in students so late in the year, Ozpin." Glynda Goodwitch admitted, as they walked through the Halls of the school, light shining and hiding as the Windows came and went. The tap of a cane and heels echoed through the hall, the owners smile never leaving his face.

"And why would that be? Is it because of the possibility that he would be left behind his peers? If that's the case, I can assure you that he will be anything but behind. He has impressed two of our Academies students, and he willingly wishes to join our school to increase his abilities. I don't see why we should avoid such a promising young man a future as a Hunter."

"You know full well why I am against this, Ozpin." Glynda spoke, an edge of danger to her voice. As they exited the building they were in, light hit their faces, momentarily blinding them. Ozpin stopped, a thoughtful face marrying his features, before he continued with his walk, his smile back.

"So it has to do with his Religion?" Ozpin asked, already knowing the answer. Of course, he had his own worries and doubts on the matter too, but his actions thus far had lead him to hold some faith in the Magic User.

"Of course!" Glynda's voice raised a little, her feelings on the matter showing through. "The boy worships The Witch if Envy! That should be enough reason to do… something with him! Not accept him into Beacon Academy!"

"That's where I have to disagree, Glynda. If the boy is indeed to be a Cult member, then we must keep a close eye on him. This is our chance to understand these radicals, and if possible, show them the error in their ways." Ozpin smiled wider, a smile that didn't comfort Glynda one bit. "Besides, he didn't just claim to be a Cult member, but also an Archbishop."

"What!?" Glynda all but shouted. Everyone who knew that The World Above was a Reality, knew of the Witch Cult. More than that, they knew of the Archbishops that served The Witch Cult. The most vile, mentally unstable, and disgusting beings to grace the world. "Ozpin, you can't possibly be thinking of allowing such a dangerous person into Beacon! It's already a risk with him being a Cult member, but an Archbishop!? I can't allow this to continue!"

"Fear not, Ms. Goodwitch." Ozpin said, a reassuring smile that Glynda couldn't help but doubt. "I already have a plan to detain, and if necessary, eliminate such a threat. I didn't make this decision based on a gut feeling; this has been all planned out and will proceed as I see fit."

Silence followed that declaration, as Glynda and Ozpin continued their trek, none speaking. For Ozpin, allowing his secretary to consider his decisions, and for Glynda a chance to think of the absurdity of such a decision. It was widely known that the Witch Cult were a detestable and unpredictable group that actively killed whatever was in their path, and to even consider one joining the school was worrisome. If the Archbishop decided that he wanted to kill a majority of the students at Beacon, he could very well do that.

Glynda didn't fear for the school or its property. That can easily be fixed and replaced. Fixing and replacing the deceased bodies of Team RWBY, JNPR, CFVY, and CRDL however? It was impossible. Glynda had seen enough death and destruction for a lifetime of torment; seeing the future Huntsmen and Huntresses bodies sewn across the campus was something she hoped to never see. Yet that may very well become a reality if the Archbishop were to be allowed to roam free within the Campus.

To Glynda Goodwitch, the Archbishop was a ticking time bomb waiting to be set off. With a weary sigh, she hardened her gaze and made her decision. As soon as the Archbishop did anything out of place, she would crush his very being. If this was against Ozpin's orders, or lead to her being thrown in jail, then so be it. The lives of the students were more precious than her own sinful being.

"Why do you put so much faith in this criminal, Ozpin?" Glynda asked, her voice held no warmth, only her intentions. Ozpin's smile faded, replaced by a blank face. His mind recalling the reason he made such a rash decision.

"Why did I?" Ozpin asked, not Glynda, but himself. He knew the reason, but he feared to speak it. For if he did, he would be admitting something that had been itching at the back of his mind for the last year. Something that could lead to his defeat. With a heavy heart, he swallowed this fear; deciding to face the music.

"I am afraid to make mistakes, Glynda. You know this." Ozpin stated, his voice heavy with regret. "I have done my best, for all my life, to make sure that Remnant was a home for Humans and Faunus alike. That when the time comes, Remnants species would come and fight alongside one another, like the days of old. Yet as time moves forward, my fear that we will be separated has slowly become a reality. The White Fang, and The Black Fang, two sides of the same coin killing each other mercilessly because they wish to protect their families. Our Kingdoms, instead of United, stand against each other, sending silent threats to one another rather than fighting next to each other. Criminals and Cops, an endless cycle of murder, robbery and violence.

"No matter how the times change, it's always the same. The wars, the meaningless battles over land and senseless killings between what should be friends, yet instead are enemies. Vacuo, and Mantle, polar opposites killed each other for no other reason than Mantle wanting their land. Vacuo was torn asunder while Mantle profited from the Dust that such a tropic had held. Mistral, the crown Jewel when it came to wealth, split it's citizens into Rich and Poor, with its quite literal underground being the birthplace for most Criminals now days. Even Vale, the Kingdom in which I run, is being robbed of its necessities in order to live by Roman Torchwick."

"I'm sorry Ozpin, but where are you going with this?" Glynda interrupted, not following his train of thought. How did all this catastrophe connect to one Archbishop? A being that wasn't even from Remnant to begin with. Ozpin stopped, the Fountain of one of the first Huntsmen showering the area with mist. Glynda watched, as the Headmaster gave a sad sigh, before turning, looking her in the eyes.

"What I'm trying to say is, I'm afraid I have failed. I have failed to suppress the racist agendas of both the White and Black Fang. I have failed to help those of Mistral and Vacuo, and instead focused solely on Vale. I have failed to put an end to Salem and her forces. Finally, and most importantly, I have failed to keep this world intact."

Once again, silence reined supreme. It was not for the lack of words from Glynda, but of the sheer shock of what Ozpin had just said. From the moment Glynda had met the man, Ozpin had been nothing but optimistic and true to his cause. The words that he had spoken now however, were such a complete polar opposite that she was doubtful that this was even him, just a imposter wearing his skin. Yet as she looked at that sad smile that seemed to reach his eyes, she could tell it was really him. No one could ever have that sort of will in their hearts, not even Ironwood. Glynda bit the inside of her cheek, frustration taking over her body.

"So you see, I have to-" Ozpin was interrupted by a sharp sting on his face, his head recoiling from the force of the slap Glynda just gave. Eyes wide, he turned his head to his secretary, shock running across his features. "Glynda-"

"Shut up, Ozpin." Glynda commanded, further surprising the Headmaster. Goodwitch had never commanded anything of him, much less used profanity, no matter how minor. With sharp eyes, Glynda stared down her boss. "I have had enough of your whining. I have spent the majority of my life working, day in and day out, to make this world a better place. I have done all in my power to keep those within the Kingdoms, especially the students, safe. I have even done my fair share of dirty jobs to do so, and I have reason to believe that this world is a better place for it. However, when my boss, my comrade and friend, tells me that we have practically amounted to nothing, do you know how that feels?"

"Glynda, that's not what I me-"

"That's not what you meant!?" Glynda all but yelled, silencing the Headmaster. "You said that we haven't stopped the racist agendas of Black and White, when in reality their forces are at an all time low! You said we haven't helped Mistral and Vacuo, when in reality Mistral's population seems to be profiting, whether their from the bottom or the top! Vacuo is no different; their people value strength and comradery more than ever because you put a stop to Atlas' assault! Of course you failed to put an end to Salem! You didn't have the comrades you do now! Back then it was you verses all of Grimm! Now you have Qrow and the other scouts, Ironwood and the other Headmasters, and me and the other Professors!" Glynda panted, running out of breath. Ozpin stared at her, at a loss of words. Straightening her back, Glynda looked him in the eyes, resolve pushing her forward. "You said that you've failed the world, correct? Let me tell you something- that is what Salem wants. She wants you to break, to give up hope. If you have already fallen to despair, then I will kill myself right here. There is no point in living if our… my leader has given up hope."

Ozpin stood at a loss of words. Glynda's speech replaying in his head like a broken record, each word engraving itself in his mind and soul. The pain and desperation hidden by the anger in her tone. The way her voice cracked, as did her face, when the mere thought of him giving up passed through her. Guilt gripped his heart when he realized that this wasn't just a fight for himself anymore, but the countless people of Remnant. Swallowing his guilt, he looked into Goodwitch's emerald eyes. A smile marred his face as the flame of hope flickered in his heart once more, lighting the century old bonfire once again.

"Glynda, I am sorry." Ozpin apologized, Glynda's stern look unmoving. "I have only been thinking of myself this whole time. My desire for this world's peace hasn't been pure, and that has been shown through my pessimistic view of this world. Not once have I thought of the feelings of those close to me, or the dreams of my friends. For that, I am sorry." Glynda watched, as he straightened his body, holding both hands over his cane. "However, thanks to you, I have seen the error in my ways. I see the Good that I- no, we have done for this world. That the actions we take, no matter how vile, have been for the singular goal of peace within Remnant. That, I can believe in my comrades, and that no matter what, we are taking strides to a better tomorrow." Ozpin looked at her gratefully. "That I know my trusted colleague will have my back if I ever fall into despair again. Thank you, Glynda Goodwitch."

Glynda didn't respond immediately, instead watching Ozpin's every movement. From his calm breathing, to the way his fingers twitched with nervousness. Her gaze softened ever so slightly, as a beautiful smile graced her lips. She was never able to stay mad at Ozpin for long.

"You're Welcome, Headmaster Ozpin." Glynda responded, letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. In all honesty, she was fully prepared to kill herself right then and there. The thought that all the actions she had taken in life being pointless would have been too much for her to bare. All the lives, detestable lives but lives nonetheless, she had taken being for naught sent a chill down her spine. Turning, Ozpin continued to the Landing platform, Glynda following close behind. "Now, about the Archbishop-"

"I haven't changed my mind on that, Ms. Goodwitch." Ozpin said, causing Glynda to stop before catching up to him.

"Ozpin, you can't be serious! Even after all I have said, and what you have admitted, you still wish to take such a tremendous risk!?" Glynda questioned, shocked at the stupidity of such a decision still crossing his mind, even after all this time

"Of course I'm serious. You never did let me finish what I was going to say, Ms. Goodwitch." Ozpin spoke over his shoulder, causing the mature woman to give him a questioning look. "Before, I wanted to do this for the sake of seeing if I can change an Archbishop's heart, to see if my actions had any significance in this world." Ozpin admitted, shaking his head. "However, my view on this has slightly changed. I will do this not in the hope he will change for some selfish reason, but to change him. To make him see the world in a brighter light; that it isn't just filled with betrayal and sadness. That is my goal."

"Ozpin, speaking freely, that is the most absurd reason to invite a national criminal of the World Above to Beacon." Glynda admitted, watching as Ozpin gave a haughty laugh and shook his head. "The more I talk to you, the more I think you've lost your mind."

"Perhaps your right, and I've lost my mind over my many years of life. If that's so, then you would need to take over my position as Headmaster." Ozpin spoke, causing Glynda to pale at the thought. "Or, of course, my hope has transcended the realms of sanity, with no hope of stopping."

"If that's the case, then I'd prefer the pessimistic you." Glynda joked with a small smile. Ozpin gave a small chuckle at this, before Glynda returned her stern look. "However, I have to ask once more, are you sure that we should be heading down this road? One small mistake like this could end the lives of at least half of the campus. The risk you are taking is tremendous, and there doesn't seem to be any profit from allowing such a man in this school."

"You're right, Ms. Goodwitch. This is a tremendous risk. However, I disagree that there is no profit to gain from this risk. If we are able persuade him, indirectly of course, he would be a tremendous force for us to use, even more so than Huntsmen. Not only for the fact that he is an Archbishop, but because he can give us insight on how the Cult operates. With this knowledge, don't you think it would be beneficial if we are able to track the Cults movements and attack them if needed?" Ozpin questioned as they stopped at the Landing platform. A Airship could be seen making its way over to the Landing platform; small in size, but large enough to fit at least twenty passengers. That same Airship held a Archbishop of the Witches Cult, Natsuki Subaru.

"I agree that would be beneficial, but I still stand with the notion that this is an extremely risky gamble." Goodwitch said, pushing up her glasses, watching as the Airship landed. "With that in mind, I am going to keep a constant eye on the Archbishop, and if I see an ounce of behavior that I deem suspicious, I'll kill him."

"I would expect no less from you, Ms. Goodwitch." Ozpin replied with a gentle smile. In his honest opinion, he would rather have Goodwitch hovering over the Archbishop as much as she can, than have him run completely free. The reality was that he was an Archbishop, a dangerous man, not a child that needed to be guided off the path of Evil. Ozpin recognized that, but he couldn't help but still see the man as a child; not in an insulting way, but in a maternal way. He saw all of his students as surrogate children, even if they weren't as perfect as others. His love for the beings of Remnant was endless, and could even reach beyond Remnant. From Rich, to poor. Human to Faunus. Good or Bad. They were all his children, and if one of them were unwilling to see the light…

Ozpin would deal with them personally.

With a hiss, the door to the aircraft budged, cracking open slightly. Glynda watched with a glare that could rival the Devils, as the door slowly opened, prepared to use her Semblance to destroy the head of the Archbishop if need be. Ozpin watched, ready to greet the Archbishop with the smile of a pastor, innocence practically radiating off him. With a thump, the sound of metal meeting ground echoed through the area, the old aircraft obviously showing its age(1). Another thump made itself known as the man stepped out of the craft, his boots making the door creak. However, instead of the black clothing Ozpin had expected, and evil gaze Glynda had prepared themselves for, both couldn't help their mouth drop at the sight of the man who greeted them.

"Oh, Ozpin and Ms. Goodwitch, what're you doing here?" Ironwood questioned, stepping off the old aircraft, his arms locked behind his back. "I wasn't expecting such a warm welcome. Not to be rude, but what's the occasion?"

"I'm sorry to be rude, General Ironwood, but we weren't expecting you." Ozpin said bluntly, calmly assessing the situation. "We were expecting a much different passenger. There wouldn't happen to be a boy clad in black onboard, correct?"

"I'm afraid not, Oz, and again, drop the formalities." Ironwood responded, glancing over his shoulder to look at the worn down aircraft. "Was there supposed to be a special guest on board?"

"Yes!" Glynda spoke loudly, startling Ironwood. She had every right to be acting out if character, as she had just went through a mirage of emotions because of this 'Special Guest.' "There was supposed to be a new… student taking the initiation test today!"

"Ah!" Ozpin spoke, realizing something. Both Ironwood and Glynda looked to the wizened man, who smiled sheepishly. "I may have forgotten to tell our new initiate how to get to Beacon itself."

Silence reined over the three Adults, as both Ironwood and Glynda stared at Ozpin, who calmly looked between the two. Ironwood, confused as to what was going on, and Glynda in shock of such a simple mistake. Shaking, Goodwitch slowly raised her hand, pushing up her glasses in frustration. Ozpin watched this, knowing she wouldn't do anything rash, but prepared to jump back just in case. The slap he had received earlier had made it past his Aura, and he definitely didn't want to experience that again.

"If he was not aboard the ship, then, pray tell, where is he?"

* * *

Vale

Forest Outside of Beacon

Before there were Airships, there were boats. Before their were boats, there were cars. Before there were cars, there were carriages. Before there were carriages, there was horses. Before there were horses, there were feet. The path of traveling has come a long way since the days of primitive technology, and it only ever seems to grow. The times change, along with the way travel works.

However, even then all forms of transportation followed a set path. From the Airships airwaves, to the cars cement roads. From a carriages dirt path to a horses cleared path. The last and final, was the humans path. From sidewalks, to obscure clearings that lead around a forest, all held an order for Sentient beings to follow that would lead them to safety.

Natsuki Subaru couldn't help but feel endangered.

With a huff, he nervously glanced around his surroundings, fearful for what laid beyond the shroud of leaves. His hands opened and closed, ready to deflect, and if needed, grasp any threat within his claws(2). Sweat covered his brow, as he waited nervously for the attack that was bound to come. The ruffle of leaves as the wind pushed and tugged causing him to jump, spinning and clawing at the sound with his claw. Yet nothing was there, save for a shredded tree, curtesy of Subaru.

With a shaky sigh, he continued on the path leading to Beacon Academy. Silently, he thanked Sun Wukong for showing him this path, yet cursed him at the same time for it. When Subaru had asked the Huntsmen how to get to the Academy, Sun had eagerly pointed it out. Sun had said there were multiple ways to Beacon, the most common being air, which Subaru had freaked out about for a good hour, but suggested following the path, as Subaru was new. Apparently new students weren't allowed to take the Airship, as it was a privilege given to those who had already spent a year within its curriculum.

The problem was that Subaru detested man made paths. Well, detest was an exaggeration. Subaru loved them for the simple fact that they lead to where you wanted to go, while at the same time not ruining your cloak. However, due to his time within the Cult, he had discovered a few facts to hate about paths. One being that bandits, two being the possibility of being called out as a Cultist, and three would be the way it left room for would be attackers. At least deep in the woods Subaru had no fear of that.

With a deep breath, he ignored the itching feeling to claw at whatever was behind him again. If he continued to do so, it would take an unnecessary amount of time to reach Beacon, and it had already taken long enough. If Subaru had to hazard a guess as to when he started walking, it had to be around 3 A.M. Subaru knew it was going to take a long time to reach Beacon, and the discomfort of sleeping on the street again wasn't a welcomed idea for Subaru. Stretching his legs, he rid them of the pain of walking for hours on end. A 'Tsk' made itself known as he glanced at the right side of him, cliffs of stone and grass as far as the eye can see(3)

In all honesty, Subaru hadn't expected such a beautiful sight from the cliffs of Vale. Sure, he knew that Vale had to be one of the most technologically advanced Kingdoms of Remnant, and that was something to get excited about, but having lived on the road most of his life, the cold concrete and steel buildings felt… off. With time, Subaru was sure he would grow to enjoy the city, but for now he loved the grass and stone of the wilderness more. Knowing that Vale wasn't all just concrete and steel like Gusteko brought a small amount of comfort to him.

The roar of an airship caught his attention. Stopping and looking in the direction of the ship, Subaru watched as it flew over his head and stopping around a minute later. He was about to question what it was doing, before it slowly descended out of his sight. Slowly, the gears in his head started turning, before he realized that that meant Beacon, or some form of civilization, was near.

All pain and fatigue Subaru had felt until now washed away as excitement and adrenaline pumped through his veins. With a start, he dashed across the path, achieving speeds a normal human could only dream of(4). Rocks and dirt threw themselves in the air as Subaru dashed, his torn cloak blowing in the wind. Blood pumped as he saw the light of the sun, marking the exit to the forest.

With push, Subaru flew out of the shrubbery, into a clearing of grass and light. Landing, he let himself drop to the ground, the hours of walking having taken a toll on his body. Thinking about it, running when he was already tired was a horrible idea. It was just that, knowing his salvation was so near sent him an urge to run. Subaru greedily took in mouthfuls of air, slowly calming down his ever beating heart.

Calmed down, Subaru got up, finally taking in his prize for the long trek he had to endure. What he saw practically made his mouth drop in amazement.

If he had to compare it to anything, it would be have to be the Capital of Lugnica, specifically the Castle. From where he stood, the Academy looked nothing of like it's name, but more of a Castle. Large buildings and towers lined it's exterior, a mixture of Black and Grey coloring it's walls compared to the Pure White of Lugnica's Castle. A tower stood proud and tall, reminding him of that one in that forsaken desert(5). A path that lead to and out of Beacon held on it a impressive statue.

A loud thump shook him out of his trance however. Glancing over, he turned just in time to see a man clad in white step out of the Aircraft from before, their thundering thumps being heard even this great of a distance. Curiously, the man greeted a well endowed blond woman and a very familiar Headmaster.

Internally, Subaru couldn't help but cringe. Ozpin was one of the rare few to have him visibly nervous, second being Reinhardt Van Astrea, Clind, and Cecilus. Adding a man who had barely know for a few minutes didn't bode well with him. At least with Reinhardt and Clind, he had known them for a good amount of time before feeling any fear, and Cecilus was just a monster who he never wished to have to go against. Ozpin, however? He seemed to be able to make the hairs on Subaru's neck stand with just a look. Whatever Ozpin had went through had done him good, that was to be sure. With a deep breath, he cleared himself of that fear. Now was not the time to think of such things.

Reaching into his Suit, he pulled out his Gospel once more, flipping to the last page of entry. Yet again, no words were written, save for The same verse as before. With a sigh, he closed it, putting it into his Suit. Subaru watched the trio some more, having to decide what to do, instead of relying on his Gospel.

Deciding there was no point in watching them, Subaru started his trek to them. It wasn't that long of a walk, a fact which Subaru was grateful for. He had enough with walking long distances just to get to point B from A to last a lifetime. While it did indeed gradually build his body to peak conditions, it was tiring to do it every other day. Sometimes, Subaru wished he could just jump great distances instead of running.

As Subaru drew closer, he could hear the conversation of the three Adults. Apparently there was supposed to be a Special Guest onboard, thus the Headmaster and his Secretary(?) Presence. Ignoring the plight of the three present, Subaru continued forward. He came to join Beacon, not eavesdrop on a meaningless conversation.

* * *

"-where is he?" Glynda asked, both Ozpin and Ironwood glancing at each other, sharing a silent conversation. Glynda wasn't one to take lightly when angered, as demonstrated countless times in the past. It didn't make it any easier that her Semblance was telekinesis. Their next set of words needed to be chosen carefully, for if not, then a good portion of the landing platform may need reconstruction.

"Greetings!" That was not the choice words that Ozpin or Ironwood had in mind. The three internally jumped, keeping their surprise in check by multiple years of practice. In sync, all three turned their heads to the new arrival, taking in his appearance.

What stood behind Ozpin was in no short of a boy. If Glynda had to guess, she would have to say he stood at a good 5'8 or 5'9, Black Boots more than likely elevated that height. His pants were a pitch black, Green lining the bottoms in horizontal marks. His shirt, which was more of a coat, was more or less the same; a white line surrounded by green and red vertical lines marked the middle, continuing all the way to his collar. A dark cloak hung over that, and unlike the rest of his apparel, orange was on the inside. A black necklace hung around his neck, going under his attire. His eyes were a hazel color, holding unkempt emotions within them. The shape gave them a sinister look, as well as the style of his hair. (6)

Without being told, Glynda could tell who this boy was. The one who she had been worried about since Ozpin had told her of his arrival. The one who was a leader of the most detestable group out there. A Archbishop of the Witch Cult. His outfit and over all feel fit the description perfectly.

"Oh? Subaru, you made it." Ozpin spoke, his voice cheery, hiding his surprise. There was no edge to it, greatly disappointing Glynda. "That is good to see, but may I ask, where did you come from?"

"Huh?" Subaru hummed, confused. Raising an eyebrow, the Archbishop pointed to the clearing behind him. "I took the pathway from Vale to Beacon, as I was shown by one of your students."

Both Glynda and Ozpin looked at him with surprise, while Ironwood smiled. Ironwood, pride that a student would take the difficult route to get to Beacon, while Glynda and Ozpin in shock that he would do that. The walk to Beacon was by no means easy, as it was mostly a constant uphill hike just to get in a forest that covered for miles around. Even Ozpin, the Headmaster of Beacon, would never personally take that walk… again.

"Well, I for one am proud one so young would choose to take that path." Ironwood said, confusing Subaru even more. Wasn't first years supposed to take that path? Why was there a choice? "It must say a lot of your character to willingly walk such a dangerous path, instead of taking an Airship."

"Wait, I could've taken an Airship?" Subaru questioned, his eyes wide. Didn't Sun say that only second through fourth years could take the Airship? Eyes widening even more, a realization came over him. 'He better not have…'

"Indeed, you may have taken a Airship, Subaru." Ozpin answered, causing Subaru's mouth to drop. "Actually, we had a personal Airship waiting for your arrival. My orders must have been too ambiguous, as General Ironwood seemed to take possession of the ship."

"I wasn't intending to take it, but I was offered by a crew member." Ironwood said, defending himself. "Besides, how was I supposed to know that a new initiate was being brought here today."

"Don't worry yourself about it, Ironwood." Glynda spoke, speaking before Ozpin could get a chance. "Even I found out about the initiation just today. Ozpin has been keeping his mouth tight once again."

"I already apologized for that, Ms. Goodwitch." Ozpin said, turning his head to the other two. "I just hadn't found the time in my schedule to mention it. I believe it doesn't matter anyways, as you know about it now, no?"

"Of course it matters, Ozpin!" Glynda spoke angrily, pushing up her glasses. "I am the one who needs to go and create a new student registration, and add him to the enrollment sheets. This isn't an easy process, and uses time that I could be using for something else."

"Oh, I'm sure it isn't that difficult, Ms. Goodwitch." Ozpin replied, brushing off her woes. Surprisingly, Ironwood stepped up, defending her.

"I'm afraid I'll have to take Glynda's side on this, Oz." Ironwood spoke, "Speaking from experience, it isn't as easy as it sounds. There must be multiple background and drug tests, and the families must sign a waver agreeing that they won't have the right to sue if their child dies during initiation. That's just the beginning of the woes of such a task."

"I'm sorry to interrupt." Subaru spoke up, getting over his shock. The three Huntsmen looked over to him, wordlessly giving him the go ahead to speak. "But I have just one question; All the walking I did, it was useless? I could have just easily taken an Airship to get here?" At the nod from Ozpin, Subaru turned his head away from the group, whispering to himself. "I'm going to kill you, Sun."

Unseen by Subaru, Glynda's hand went for her wand, ready to restrain Subaru. With a reassuring glance from Ozpin however, Glynda begrudgingly restrained herself. As much as she wished to throw the Archbishop off the cliff, she had no reason to as of yet. The words he spoke under his breath only made the temptation all the more painful.

"There is no use in worrying about what has happened, as there is no changing the past. As for now, allow me to introduce you to each other." Ozpin spoke, motioning to Glynda. "Subaru, this is Glynda Goodwitch, a teacher I hope you recognize as your own if you pass the initiation." Next he motioned to Ironwood. "Next to her is General Ironwood, Headmaster of Atlas Academy. He may be your boss if you decide to proceed as an Huntsmen." Finally, Ozpin motioned to Subaru. "Finally, this is Natsuki Subaru, our new Initiate and Archbishop of his Church. He wishes to join Beacon Academy in hopes that he can attain greater strength, so he may not be… useless, as he would put it."

"Archbishop?" Ironwood questioned, the name holding two meanings for him. One, he saw as a form of pastor, the second… in a not so great light. 'There's no way that he is with the Cult. Oz would never allow it.' "My name is James Ironwood, it is a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise." Subaru spoke formally, lessons of the past resurfacing in his mind. Clind having engraved within him proper etiquette and how to treat strangers/customers. Bowing slightly, Subaru gave him his best smile. Ironwood returned that smile in full. Glynda however stayed silent, unwilling to greet him.

"Now, it appears we're short on time. Would you please follow us, Subaru?" Ozpin asked, to which Subaru nodded. Before Ozpin continued however, he looked at Ironwood. "General Ironwood, would you care to join us for the Initiation?"

"I suppose why not, I have nothing on my schedule as it stands." Ironwood looked at the Archbishop with a smile. "Besides, it's not everyday that we witness a initiation so late in the year."

"Great. Now let's be on our way." Ozpin said, turning on his heel and taking strides to Beacon Academy. The others wordlessly followed Ozpin, neither talking nor looking at each other. Silence, save for The tapping of heels and the thumps of boots. Subaru didn't mind this however, as this gave him a chance to look at the tower beyond his sight. It's light, of green and ominous, shown even in the brightest of day. It's tower, of Black and cold, stood out even amidst the gothic buildings. For one reason or another, Subaru felt like that tower was more important than it seemed.

"Ah, I'm sorry, but I have a question, if you don't mind answering." Subaru asked, realization dawning on him, gaining the attention of the three Huntsmen. "You said it wasn't everyday that an initiation is held so late in the year. I may be over thinking it, but is this a rarity?"

"Oh, by all means, it is." Ironwood answered for the Headmaster. "Normally, you'd have to wait until at least the second semester or next year to join the Academy, however there are those rare cases in which the Headmaster would personally step in. These instances are far in between, a special rarity that happens once in a decade. Of course, that's not all that makes these events special; The initiation process is what makes these special."

"What makes them so special?" Subaru asked, curious as to what the General meant. With a smile, Ironwood opened his mouth, but Ozpin continued for him.

"Normally, a future student would take a Initiation Test with a group of other future Huntsmen. During this test, they would be placed in a team that best suited them. However, seeing as you're alone, that wouldn't be beneficial to anyone as you have no other initiates with you to rely on. This leaves my options limited, so I've devised a simple plan." Ozpin said as they walked into an auditorium, going down a hall, lights flashing on and off as the light of the sun shown through the windows. "You will go against a student of my choice, and those watching shall be your judge. It doesn't matter if you win or lose, as long as your skills are enough to impress your future comrades, you shall be accepted into Beacon."

"Oh, that's good." Subaru didn't voice it, but he detested that idea. To leave your fate in the hands of those watching, some obviously judging on appearances, was a horrible idea. To put it into perspective, if he were to have a woman who hated men as his judge, their would be no point in even trying.

Their walk continued in silence, the taps of heels and thumps of boots carrying with it a feeling of anxiousness. Unknown by the three Huntsmen, Subaru mentally prepared himself to eat the cyanide pill within his mouth. No doubt preparing for the multiple resets that awaited him through that coliseum door.

* * *

Vale

Beacon Academy

Passing Period

"God, I thought that class would never end!" Ruby groaned as she slouched her way out of the classroom, the rest of Team RWBY and JNPR following in her wake, Ren carrying the unconscious Nora over his sshoulder. "Why is math so lo~ng!"

"You sound like a child." Weiss said, insulting Ruby. "Why don't you try to pay attention during class? Maybe then, your grades won't be so atrocious."

"I'm Weiss, I'm a nerd, watch me do math and nerdy things." Ruby mocked, snickering at her own jokes. Weiss rolled her eyes, Ruby's childish antics not getting to her.

"You're so childish. I still can't believe Ozpin chose you of all people to be our leader." Weiss bickered back, pointing out her distaste for the idea. In actuality, while she would still prefer to be leader, Weiss had come to accept the immature Ruby as leader. Besides, most decisions in the group were put to vote, so there was no use in arguing about it.

"Awe! You don't mean that Weiss!" Ruby cried, waving her arms at the heiress, who held Ruby back by pushing on her head. "We're the best of friends! You would never say that!"

"I did, and I will say it again if you don't stop." Weiss threatened, causing the young leader to back off, comedic tears trailing her cheeks. Yang, Ruby's older sister, slung a arm over the younger sisters shoulder, a cheery grin marring her face.

"Aw, don't get so sad, sis! I'm sure Weiss didn't mean it." Yang confidently said, Weiss rolling her eyes, but not denying it. "Besides, if not you, who's going to lead us next time we go against old man Torchwick!?"

"Torchwick?" Jaune spoke up, curious as to what Yang was speaking of. A look between Team RWBY was shared, before a synced nod was formed. Their exploits had been more of a little secret between Team RWBY (and Sun and Neptune). This was a group decision, as none wished to drag anymore friends into danger as it was. Looking at Jaune, Weiss decided to speak up.

"It's none of your concern." Weiss bluntly said, her tone being less than pleasant, causing Jaune's mood to drop. Ruby and Yang shared a sympathetic look with the young Arc, but didn't deny Weiss. What she said was the truth, no matter how harsh. "What Team RWBY does in our off time is none of your business, and I would be happy if it stayed that way."

"I'm sorry Jaune." Ruby spoke up, deciding that Weiss was being a little too harsh. "This is Team RWBY business. We don't want to get friends involved."

"Oh…" Jaune said, an air of melancholy hung around him. Pyrrha put a hand on his shoulder, giving him a comforting smile. Jaune leaned into her touch, as it did its purpose.

"Anyways!" Yang spoke, taking her arm off of Ruby, pumping her hand into her fist. "I can't wait for Fight Class! I've been itching to fight since we took down the you-know-what!"

* * *

"Today, we will be canceling Fight class." Goodwitch spoke in the auditorium, her voice echoing off the walls of the Arena. Yang, her excitement for class having been snuffed out, grabbed the railing of the seats.

"What the hell!" Yang yelled, causing the Professor to send a glare at the young Huntress for her choice of words. Yang, however, ignored the offending stare, instead continuing with her speech. "This is, like, the one class I look forward too! Why is it canceled!?"

"I believe I can answer that." All eyes turned to the sound of the voice, the tap of a cane following those wizened words. A man, gray in hair, black in cloths, looked upon the students with a stare of understanding and hidden love. This man, Team RWBY and JNPR recognized as the Headmaster of Beacon, Ozpin. "Today, we are going to do something a little different. Instead of fighting each other, you shall be the judge of a new initiate."

"Initiate?" Blake questioned, having never heard of something like this. "Isn't it too late in the year to join Beacon? I thought you were only able to join at the beginning of Spring?"

"Of course, that would normally be the case, but due to the recommendations of two of Remnants future Huntsmen," At this, Ozpin seemed to look at Ruby, which went unseen by all but Blake and Ren, his glance being only a second long. "I have decided to give the eager Initiate a chance."

"So, what're we judging? His looks?" Yang asked, actually curious.

"No, nothing so simple." Ozpin replied, tapping his cane. The Amphitheater went dark, before a light flashed, a monitor showing a mirage of categories. Agility, Speed, Strength, Intelligence, Endurance, and Durability. The group looked on confused, before another light shown, a spotlight for the Headmaster down below. "This is a list of Attributes that will be assigned by none other than you, the judges. I want you to know, however, that this isn't just a simple Attribute sheet. With each letter our initiate gains, that's another step closer to passing the test. General Ironwood, Ms. Goodwitch and I shall be the final judges, and decide if he shall stay or go."

"That sounds stupidly complicated." Mercury whispered, causing some of the other students to nod in agreement. A elbow found itself in his gut courtesy of Emerald. Glaring, Mercury continued to speak his mind. "What!? It is! Why can't we just swipe left or right to let him pass or not!?"

"Shut up!" Emerald told him under her breath. His speech was drawing in unwanted attention. Cinder, however, paid her puppets no mind, and instead tried to reason with why Ozpin would create such an elaborate system just to initiate someone. From what the mole in Mistral had told her, Vale had a unique way of testing cadets each year, this year being a scavenger hunt.

"Hmm." She hummed, an idea popping in her mind.

"On your scrolls should be an application to hook into the systems grading system. I will give you a moment to connect." Ozpin said, waiting as the students connected to the system. A series of beeps resounded in the Amphitheater, followed by a series of names on the monitor. All of them had the words 'Undecided' next to them. "Now, the grades will be given as such- E for lowest, followed by D, C, B, A, and finally, the highest, S. Again, each letter represents our initiates chances of joining Beacon Academy. I do hope that you take this seriously."

"Of course." Weiss spoke, more to herself than anybody. Being the teachers pet that she was, she was excited to judge someone purely on their fighting skill by commands of the Headmaster himself.

"Now, without further ado, would Fox Alistair please step down?" Ozpin questioned, confusing all in the stands. As the lights flashed on once again, everyone was momentarily blinded. As the spots in their eyes cleared, a man in Orange stood, a pair of gauntlets with blades coming out of the elbows his signature choice of weapon. Everyone who kept up with any form of Hunter Social media knew who he was in an instant.

"Who's that?" Jaune asked, surprise lining his voice. His surprise was shared with the group as they all looked back at him, shock covering their faces. "What? Is this another famous person like Pyrrha?"

"You don't know who Fox Alistair is!? You're such a dolt!" Weiss insulted, to which Jaune did his best not to seem down at. "He is one of Vales most famous Huntsmen, having taken down a hundred Grimm on his first mission alone, Fox Alistair of Team CFVY! Anybody who's anybody knows about him. But what's he doing here?"

"Seriously, those stories are way over exaggerated." An unfamiliar voice spoke up next to Team RWBY and JNPR. All looked over, surprise marring their faces as they greeted by none other than Coco Adel, leader of Team CFVY. "Our first mission was a disaster. Sure, we took out, say, a hundred Grimm, but that was as a team, and we lost a lot of civilians that day."

"I never want to do that again." Velvet Scarlatina, V in CFVY, quietly spoke, having flashbacks of the horrible first mission. Her bunny ears dropped down, covering her face in sorrow.

"…" The big guy.

"Coco! Velvet! And…"

"Yatsuhashi."

"Yatsuhashi!" Ruby said, surprise lining her voice. Team RWBY, due to past experiences, and Team CFVY knew each other… to an extent. It was mostly because Velvet had introduced Coco to RWBY after an incident involving Faunus racists went too far. Blake and Ruby decided to stand up to them, and Velvet being the ever kind spirit she was, wished to get to know them more. "What are you doing here!?"

"Well, Fox got called out by Ozpin earlier today, we just decided to tag along." Coco said, popping the bubblegum in her mouth. "Besides, I'm not going to miss an initiation set up by the Headmaster himself."

"What's so special about this? Isn't it just a late initiation?" Weiss asked, confused as to why this was so special. Sure, it was obvious that this was special for this specific individual, but for the rest of them it wasn't. Coco raised an eyebrow at this, before popping her gum again.

"The Initiations into Academies generally happen only once a year, mostly during spring. Sometimes, during an off year, they'll hold it during Winter, making it twice a year. However, we're in Summer, meaning that this is a special Initiation." Coco explained. At the confused look of Weiss, she continued.

"She's trying to say that the Headmaster specifically chose this initiate." Yatsuhashi interrupted, earning a playful slug from Coco.

"And those are extremely rare. So rare, that the last time this happened it was around ten years ago." Coco said, stretching her arms. "So you see? If Ozpin chose this candidate personally, that means he hasta have some skill to ignore tradition."

"Or he's picking favorites." Emerald whispered to herself.

"I wonder who is skilled enough to gain the attention of the Headmaster?" Pyrrha asked, a form of excitement forming in her chest. It had been so long since there was a decent challen- 'What am I thinking!?'

"Whoever it is, they gotta be pretty strong! I wanna fight them!" Yang said excitedly, her urge to fight still having gone nowhere.

"I'm sure they wouldn't be as much as a brute as you, Yang." Weiss insulted, making Yang roll her eyes. Ren, who shifted the unconscious Nora onto him, gave a smile.

"I'm sure they must know a multitude of skills to impress the Headmaster." Ren said, his voice as ever kind as it was soft. Ozpin, watching as Fox took his steps into the Arena, smiled calmly.

"Now, if the Initiate would please step forward?" Ozpin spoke, watching patiently as the sound of footsteps reached his and the students ears. All watched, in eagerness and carelessness, as a boot entered the light. Followed closely, the leg of Black, the suit of purple, and eyes of hazel.

A mixture of reactions passed through the crowd. Some, with less than underwhelming enthusiasm. Some, creeped out by his gaze. Some, recognition lighting within their eyes. And one, of pure disgust and disbelief that this being was allowed within Beacon.

"Is that…" Blake didn't finish, her gaze half surprised, half uncaring. Glancing at her leader, the reaction was immediate. Excitement, surprise, and recognition bundled all in one little girl.

"Subaru!"

* * *

How many loops had it been? Ten? A hundred? Five hundred? No. It had to be one hundred twenty-four loops. One hundred twenty-four cyanide pills that destroyed his insides, killing him instantly. The constant losing to the Huntsmen who's name had been engraved within his mind.

Subaru had almost enough of the constant fighting. The constant failure. The constant rejection. The constant struggle that laid beyond that Coliseum door. Each step he took felt heavy, as fatigue ate at his mind. The tired body that wouldn't stop moving, even if he commanded it to.

Subaru wanted to give up. To sleep. To rest his mind from the constant fighting. Yet he couldn't. Pride ate at his mind, and he wouldn't… couldn't accept defeat as tremendous as the past loops. That's what pushed him forward; Pride and determination. A goal he had set, that he would never give up on until he won. Never rest, until he saw it's ending.

Light shown on his pale skin, blinding him momentarily. He knew what would happen next, as the rest of his body stepped out into the light, a bundle of red would scream at the top of her lungs-

"Subaru!"

Subaru winced, the noise echoing in his ears. Was it the amphitheater, or him? It didn't matter, it hurt all the same. Subaru, years of acting coming to use, acted surprised, looking in the direction of the voice. Within the stands, a hopping mess of red jumped up and down, excitement visible on her face. Even in this loop, Subaru didn't understand her excitement. Maybe it was because of his claws?

Subaru waved his hand at her, too tired to speak. That seemed to be enough for her, as she animatedly waved back. Her team(?) Watched her weirdly, before sizing him up. It was not like their opinions of him mattered to Subaru, so he ignored them.

"Who's that, Ruby?" Emerald asked, acting the roll as friend. This was information she needed to know, for if this was indeed a powerful ally to Ozpin, he may jeopardize the mission. Ruby, hearing the inquiry, turned to the pick pocket excitedly.

"That's Natsuki Subaru, a friend I met in Vale!" Ruby pointed excitedly, her fifteen-year old persona taking over. "You won't believe it, but he can use Magic! And he has this freaky arm things that are like claws and they just look so cool!"

"Magic?" Ren questioned to himself again, adopting a serious expression.

"So that's the guy you won't shut up about? The conman?" Yang asked, her first opinions of them not being that great. He dressed wealthy enough, but that didn't mean he wasn't a conman. "He looks really creepy."

"She's right, Ruby, is he alright?" Weiss asked, confusing Ruby, before she looked closer at the Initiate. His skin was deathly pale, as bags as dark as black under his eyes. He didn't look to be in all that good shape.

"Yeah… I don't know? Maybe he ate something bad for breakfast?" Ruby tried to reason, which Blake didn't very much agree with. She didn't voice it, but she understood that look. It was a look she had worn when she had realized what exactly the White Fang were doing. The looked she wore when she cut the chains on that train so long ago, abandoning the White Fang, and Adam Taurus.

The look of defeat.

"Subaru?" Ozpin spoke up, unsure. No doubt his visage looked terrible. "Are you unwell? If you want-"

"I'm fine. I just want to get this over with." Subaru interrupted, speaking honestly. "If your still worried, don't be. I've fought in much worse conditions."

"If you insist." Ozpin said, as the lights in the room dimmed slightly. The audience, once easily visible, disappeared in pitch black. The only ones visible, we're that of Ozpin, Fox and Subaru. "Subaru, do you by chance have a scroll?"

"No?" Subaru asked, surprised. This was the first time Ozpin had asked such a thing. Why would he ask that now of all times? Was it due to his horrible visage?

"Hm. If you pass this test, then I will have to assign you one." Ozpin spoke offhandedly. Turning to Fox, then Subaru, he decided on the best course of action. "Fine. Fox! When your Aura bar depletes, it's your loss."

"That's reasonable." Fox said, hopping on one foot to the next. Punching the air, stretching his arms. To the normal human being, those punches looked like nothing more than practice shots, but to Subaru they were much more. Each punch contained a burst of pain that could knock out a giant if placed correctly. Giants were one of the strongest beings of The World Above, so to actually compare him to that made him nervous to once again go against him.

"Subaru, you will fight a little differently. You will have three conditions in which will mark your defeat. One, if you sustain enough injury in which we must step in. Two, if you are knocked out, it will be your forfeit. Three, if you willingly forfeit, you fail. I hope neither of those come to pass."

"Likewise." Subaru formally said, stretching his muscles. The next set of movements were going to be fast, so he needed to be prepared. If he cramped, he would be done for. Ozpin stared at Subaru, before a gentle smile made its way to his face. Taking a few steps back, Ozpin gained a clear view of the two combatants.

"When I tap my cane, you shall begin." Ozpin spoke, both Combatants nodding in recognition.

Silence covered the area, as all watched with bated breaths for the fight that was bound to ensue. Excitement passed through Ruby Rose, eager to see Subaru's Magic once again. Suspicion passed through Yang, who didn't trust the boy down below and his lies to her sister. Weiss, a critical eye watching for any faults in the Bishop. Blake, uncaring as she pulled out a book, but watched through the corner of her eye. Jaune, eager to see another fight of epic proportions. Pyrrha, curious in the talents of the Initiate. Ren, his feelings unreadable, but face full of suspicion. Team CFVY, doing the same as Weiss, evaluating the newbie. Cinders Team watched with eyes of prey, tearing apart the fresh meat with their eyes.

"Break a Leg, Subaru!" Ruby yelled out, but if he heard it or not was a different story. His eyes never left his opponent, as Fox did the same.

"Legs!?" Nora woke up, surprising everyone around her.

With a tap of a cane, the fight began.

* * *

Both Subaru and Fox heard the tap of the cane, and both prepared for the assault that was to come. Subaru stiffened his muscles, as Fox dashed forward, clearing the distance in short time. It was as if the world had grown silent, watching the two clash.

A punch to the face, a brush to the side. A spin kick to the gut, a block with the arm. A upper cut, a dash back. A sweep kick, countered by a jump.

Fox smirked. In only four moves, the Initiate had already impressed him far more than most in his grade. That's not to say that they weren't good fighters, they just weren't good fighting other Hunters. It was like how Coco was; a good Grimm killer, but horrible Hunter Killer. (7). This guy was fast, and was able to keep up with his movements with little effort. This was going to be a fight worth remembering… for now.

In reality however, Fox's assumption was only half true. While it was true that Subaru could keep up with Fox, it was only due to memorization that this feat was possible. Subaru was a tactician, not a straight up fighter. However, as life had went on, he had gained skills that would put him on par with a normal combatant. While he wasn't able to defeat, say, a Headmaster or master Huntsman during his first loop, he would be able to stand on par with a normal first year.

This wasn't a normal first year. This was a second year with Skills to rival a master Huntsman. Why hadn't he graduated already was the question of the day for Natsuki Subaru.

Subaru landed, using the claws to keep back and land softly, a glare marring his face. Fox didn't let up however, dashing towards him, Fox threw a punch that was too far to connect. Twisting his arm however, the elbow blade was used to close that distance. Ducking, Subaru raised himself up, using his fist to send an upper cut. Fox leaned back, dodging the punch. However, much to the surprise to those watching, and Fox himself, a resounding clap was heard, ashe was sent back, lifting himself off the ground before her graciously landed.

"What was that!?" Mercury exclaimed, shocked that the punch, which was dodged, connected. Ruby, who barely hung over the rails, leaned back, looking at the Grey haired Assassin.

"That was Subaru's Magic! Didn't you see the claws!?" Ruby pointed excitedly. Everyone looked at her, confused. Ruby returned their expression. "What?"

"Ruby, there were no 'claws'" Yang said, worrying for her sisters sanity. Had the late night snacks and crime fighting finally gotten to her? The stress of becoming a Huntress finally driving her into a corner, seeing fairytale illusions to comfort her mind? That would be anything but comforting for Yang.

"Yeah there was! It was all black and purple, and looked really cool!" Ruby defended, to which the group shared a look of unease. Ruby's expression seemed to sour, as she turned back to the fight. "Maybe it was just too dark for you to see it…"

Fox stared at Subaru, Subaru stared at Fox, neither daring to take their eyes off each other. In that one punch, the type match had been decided. This wasn't going to be a fight where each opponent took and hit as Fox had hoped. This was going to be a fight of Wits, to see who could outsmart the other, which was what Subaru had wanted. For him, that was practically calling defeat on Fox's part.

For Fox, he needed to find out what was the force behind the punch, as he was sure that he dodged the punch. There were many options to choose from this, his main suspicion was that Subaru held an ability that allowed him to hit others without touching them. As unlikely as it was, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

Yet that didn't explain how there were 'two' hands that were sent from 'One' punch.

"Fox." Subaru spoke up, his voice hoarse. Fox 'looked' at Subaru, who straightened his back. "I might have just realized this, and I'm sorry if this is a little rude, but you wouldn't by chance be blind, would you?"

Fox 'watched' silently, not speaking nor moving. Subaru waited patiently, as he planned out his next course of action. With a huff, Fox let out a breath, putting his hands in a defensive posture.

"Yeah, but I don't like bragging about it." Fox responded. There was no point in hiding facts if his opponent was already onto him. Unlike the rest of the world, he didn't see his disability as a hindrance, but saw it as an advantage. He was able to hear better, feel better, and 'see' more than the average human. The heavy breathing from Subaru signaled he was tired. The ruffle of cloth indicated that he was planning something, probably to obscure his 'vision'.

"I thank you for sharing that. It was just a curiosity of mine I had for awhile now." Subaru explained, remembering in a previous loop how Fox was able to tell where he was even when he had cut off his sight. It had bothered him ever since.

Subaru slowly put his arms in a defensive stance, slowly moving his way over to Fox, as did Fox. Inch by inch, the combatants movement drew them closer to the other. Sweat trickled down Subaru's cheek, his anxious eyes watching every bit of Fox. Fox in turn watched every detail of Subaru, from his boots to his necklace that was hidden behind the suit. As they came up to each other, Fox held a fist out, which Subaru looked at curiously, before tapping it with his own. Both drew back, as the battle commenced.

Fox was, once again, the first to strike. Sending his left fist to Subaru, Subaru deflected it with his right. Subaru used his left, aiming for Fox's stomach, which Fox caught. Thinking fast, Subaru formed a Claw in his left hand, forcing open Fox's hand, freeing him from his grip. Both pulled back their arms, Subaru going on the offence. Subaru used his right to swipe at Fox, which he blocked with his left. Fox used his own right to uppercut Subaru, who leaned back, but was still nicked by his blade, drawing blood on Subaru's cheek. Both drew back once more, as Fox went on the offensive once again, sending a quick left to Subaru's right shoulder, who was too slow to dodge, wincing as he felt a slight crack.

Thinking fast, Subaru formed both of his Claws at his feet, forcing the fingers into the ground. Pushing back, Subaru flew backwards, landing gracefully, but not removing the claws. Pushing off the ground, he used the Claws to drag himself back to Fox, who 'watched' bewildered by what he 'saw'. Drawing close, Subaru sent his right to Fox, who attempted to dodge to his left, but was still struck by a Claw that deformed at Subaru's feet, and formed at Subaru's wrist.

"What the hell!?" Mercury practically yelled, getting irritated at Subaru's tricks. Everyone looked back at him, curious. Chuckling nervously, Mercury did his best to cover up for his mistake. "Haha! Sorry, I just get really invested in these fights."

"Same here. This fight is so irritating!" Yang agreed, much to the shock to the assassin. "All he's doing is that stupid 'invisible punch' thing! Why doesn't he stop using tricks and start fighting like a man!"

Pyrrha gave a nervous chuckle at this, her style of fighting being Extremely similar to the initiate.

"Exactly! Finally somebody gets it!" Mercury agreed, earning a elbow to the ribs from Emerald. Growling, his snapped at her. "And will you stop slugging me!?"

"Once you learn to shut your trap." Emerald hissed, slugging the man once again, much to the irritation of Mercury.

"He's not using any tricks! Can't you see the 'claws'!?" Ruby defended, which caused Yang to worry a little more. The idea that stress had finally gotten to the red bundle of joy firmly planting itself in her mind.

"It shouldn't matter if he's deceiving our eyes or not; a fights a fight, and if he plans to use everything in his arsenal to win, then we should respect that." Blake defended, never taking her eyes off the fight. Unlike most of the audience, her fighting style, and way of life for that matter, revolved around deceit and surprising the enemy. To have others criticize something that she did herself was hypocritical if they didn't judge her on it.

"I second that!" Nora yelled, raising he right hand eagerly. Some looked at her confused, before she gave a shrug. "What? If they're more ways to crush someone's legs, why not?"

"Of course you would say that." Jaune face palmed, actually expecting something intellectual to come out of her mouth.

"I wouldn't think to hard on that, guys." Coco spoke up, sighing. She motioned towards the fight with her hand. "Fox has already won."

"Huh?" Ruby hummed, snapping her neck back to the fight.

Subaru hopped back, deforming the Claws that helped in his escape. Fox continued his assault, launching attack after attack, all with the use of his arms and blades. The memory of his style engraved within Subaru's mind helped him dodge, but he was still unable to dodge all. A shot to his side caused Subaru to wheeze, the pain being enough to punch the fatigue out if him. Another fist made its way to his head, but Subaru formed a Claw to catch it, twisting it, leaving Fox open. Surprisingly, Fox seemed to anticipate this, twisting his own body, and landing with a crouch. Almost inhumanly fast, Fox used his elbow blades to cut the offending hand, surprising Subaru.

Instead of attacking, Fox dashed back, crouching as he took deep breaths, as did Subaru. Both watched each other, neither attacking nor moving. In sync, they stood, both staring each other down.

"So that's your Semblance?" Fox asked, causing Subaru to raise an eyebrow.

"Sorry if I sound clueless, but what's a… 'Semblance'?" Subaru asked, surprising the Majority within the Amphitheater. Fox stared, trying to find deceit within his speech, yet he couldn't. Either Subaru was insane, or he genuinely didn't know.

"It's what us Aura Users gain with enough practice. A special power that makes us above normal beings. A power like Speed, Strength, Clones, or even… sight." Fox said, that last word filled with unkempt emotion. A small smile, a rarity for someone like him, made its way to Fox's face. "That's what you have. Those… hands of yours is your Semblance. Each Semblance represents Something about you… something that describes your very being. Semblance is something… Something that is tied to your very soul… something that is unique only to you. That makes you Special."

Silence greeted the crowd, as Fox let Subaru take in what he said. Subaru, lifting his hands, stared at his palms. The scared, beating palms that he had all his life. Slowly, black claws replaced them, an abyss that would never see light, even within the sun itself. If what Fox said was true, and this was Semblance, then what did that mean for the Archbishops? For Sloth, the ability to reach beyond the touch of humanity, a never ending hand to reach those in need. For Greed, the ability to share ones heart with another, protecting them forever like lovers. For Lust, to hide who she was, for shame of what she was. For Gluttony, a way to end the never ending hunger that was their life. For Wrath, a way to share the emotions if others, to experience their joy and pain. What of his own Prideful and Envious abilities? For Pride, a chance to fix past mistakes, helping those he might've looked over. For Envy, a chance to hold the burdens of the other Sins, no matter how great the pain.(8)

'No…' Subaru thought venomously. This isn't something as Pure as Semblance. This is Magic. And Magic is trickery, not Sorcery. Sloth is for reaching, not to nurture, but to strangle. Greed is for stealing, not sharing, another's heart. Lust is for deceit, to play with the mind of those who see. Gluttony was for devouring, stealing the memories and experiences of those they touch, and those that touch the victims. Wrath was not for sharing joy, but to share pain and misery. Pride… Pride wasn't an ability to fix past mistakes, but to rewrite history itself in favor of the owner. Envy… a chance to steal the abilities of the other Sins, in jealousy of Prides own abilities.(9)

Subaru looked up, staring Fox in his white eyes. This wasn't Semblance. It was Magic.

"No, I'll have to disagree." Subaru said, surprising Fox. "What I have isn't Semblance, or something that's connected to Aura. It's Magic, more specifically, a gift. I'm not sure who bestowed upon me such power, but I am nonetheless grateful. I am also grateful to you, Fox, as now I understand the powers of those within Remnant."

Fox didn't respond, instead listening quietly. Of course he didn't believe the words that came out of Subaru's mouth, but didn't argue against it. What Subaru was using was Semblance, and nothing could change that fact, even if the owner denied it.

Subaru was on the offence, running forward, and using a Claw to jump at his prey. Subaru formed a Claw around his hand, using it as a coating for his punch. Fox easily dodged, but instead of attack, Fox stared at Subaru. Subaru chose to make use of this, spinning and backhanding Fox, who ducked. Subaru formed a Claw behind his knee, using it to push his thigh into Fox's face, who hadn't expected such a move.

"Woah! Okay, I have to say, that was pretty good." Mercury said, causing the group to look at him, confused. "What? Do you guys know how hard it is to do two moves like that at once? Throwing a punch and a knee at the same time takes massive concentration."

"It's sorta like how I only focus fighting with my fists." Yang chimed in, understanding how hard it was to mobilize the whole body like that.

"And how I only use my legs." Mercury agreed. "If he could use his whole body like it was a puppet, then he'd be difficult to fight."

Fox flipped back, landing in a crouch, but Subaru didn't let up. Using his Claws to push off the ground, he flew through the air once again. Sending a Claw ahead of his fist, Fox dodged it, as Subaru used deformed the claw. Fox didn't attack, but stared at Subaru, a look of pity on his face.

"I've won." As soon as Fox said that, Subaru landed on his face, the momentum of the jump causing him to stumble. He could feel his nose bleeding with the impact. Quickly, Subaru got u-

"Huh?" Subaru hummed in confusion. Subaru commanded his arm to move, yet as much as he tried, his body wouldn't listen. Fox walked over to him, Subaru watching through the corners of his eyes.

"I've won." Fox repeated, crouching down, he pushed Subaru over, laying him on his back so he may have a better look at Fox. "Remember when I cut your cheek? That was the moment I won. Coating each of my blades there's a nonlethal poison that works to numb the body, thus disabling my opponent. This is your loss."

Subaru's eyes widened, shock running plainly through them. So he lost? Again? Frustration made its way through his body as his eyes shakenly narrowed. Fox noticed this, and continued.

"I hope you don't hold it against me, Subaru. You were a challenging opponent; definitely better than most Huntsmen my grade. Besides, we were both using shady tactics, so I think it's only fair if we don't curse each other out for this." Fox said, standing up and looking towards Ozpin, who patiently watched the proceedings. "Headmaster Ozpin, I believe it's my win."

Subaru cursed. He cursed Fox, who had poisoned him. He cursed the Witch, who put him in this situation. He cursed Garfiel, who caused him such a headache the other day. He cursed Ozpin, for actually making Subaru nervous. He cursed himself, for being fooled into this embarrassing situation. It wasn't like he could reset this time either, as the pill had fallen out of his mouth when his face his the ground. If he could, he would have shoved a Claw into Fox and-

'Wait…' Subaru thought as an idea popped into his head.

"It appears that is indeed the case." Ozpin said. Turning to the audience hidden by the abyss, he continued. "As you can see, th-"

"Huh?" Fox interrupted, feeling something grasping his leg. Looking down, he couldn't help the shock that crossed his face when he saw Subaru's hand grasped around his ankle, his Claws forcing the hand closed. In confusion, Fox was able to 'see' the look on Subaru's face, one that was not of defeat, but of victory.

"El-Shamak!" With a furious roar, Subaru felt power circulating through him, and into Fox. Fox, who felt this, tried to jump back, but by then it was already too late. Instead of jumping back, he fell on his butt. Trying to get up, he realized, with shock, that his body wouldn't obey.

"W-What did you do!?" Fox asked, surprised at how hard it was to speak. A low chuckle was his answer, as it slowly formed into hysterical laughter. Calming down, Subaru looked at Fox through the corner of his eyes.

"With this, you are but the same as I! It works the same as your poison, but much, much faster. With this, you are unable to control your body!" Subaru grinned menacingly, the constant loops finally getting to him. "This is my Magic! The power to debuff, abilities, senses, and movement! This is my win!"

"I'm not so sure, Subaru." Ozpin said, walking into Subaru's line of sight. "The way I see it, you and Fox have just eliminated each other. There is no definitive winner here."

"A draw?" Fox spoke calmly, not an ounce of disappointment from his voice. "I can settle for that, too."

"I-I guess I could too." Subaru said. As long as he hadn't lost, then he was fine with a draw. It was definitely better than losing. With that, his fatigued mind finally clocked out, letting Subaru rest. Ozpin smiled at the two combatants warmly. This was the sort of behavior he expected out of his students. Looking up, he gazed at the audience.

"As you can see, the fight has concluded in a draw." Ozpin spoke, before he wore a deathly serious expression. "Now, it is time to decide Natsuki Subaru's stats. Afterwards, it shall be up to us staff to decide the fate of the young boy." With a tap of his cane, The Stats displayed from before showed up again. "I would like to remind you, each and every letter he gains with be the lifeline of his career- So I urge you. Choose. Wisely."

With that, the spotlight on Ozpin, Subaru, and Fox disappeared. The only light in the room being those of the scrolls, and the monitor that showed Subaru's stats. A series of clicks could be heard, as letters ranging from E to S flew across the screen. Minutes passed as this continued, continually slowing down until the set upon their desired stats. Ozpin watched, and analyzed the letters in which he saw.

Natsuki Subaru

Agility- B

Durability- C

Endurance- B

Speed- C

Strength- D

Intelligence- A

"Eh, that sounds about right." Yang shrugged, not really caring. Mercury and Emerald silently agreed with her, but chose not to voice it.

"I think he did better than that, but not on the scale I was anticipating." Weiss said, drawing the attention of those near. "From what I understand, this was a student handpicked by Headmaster Ozpin himself. I was expecting more of a show, rather than a thought Out duel."

"Maybe that's why Ozpin picked him?" Blake questioned, agreeing with Weiss. "From what I understand, we have a lot of Hunters who specialize in open combat, and not in tactics. Maybe this is why he caught the eye of the Headmaster?"

"No! It's got to be because of his Magic!" Ruby defended, unwilling to budge from her opinion. "You guys saw it too! The claws that Subaru kept using, and how he made Fox stop moving! It has to be Magic!"

"Ruby." Yang spoke worriedly, putting a hand on her sisters shoulder. "I don't want to sound rude, but I think we need to go see a doctor after this. You've been seeing things that No one else has." Yang gave a worried smile. "I'm worried for you."

"…I just don't understand how you guys can't see it." Ruby said, not denying her sisters suggestion. Maybe something was wrong with her? Maybe she was just seeing things, all apart of her imagination. Yang watched worriedly, before putting an arm around her shoulder, bringing Ruby in closer.

"Disgusting." Emerald whispered under her breath.

A flash of light caught their attention, as the Arena was lit up once more. Ozpin, Subaru and Fox were still in their same positions. The lights in the stadium once again brightened, showing the audience to the specters below. The sound of tapping heels reached their ears, as all watched Glynda Goodwitch make her way to the middle of the room.

"Our decision of the… initiate will be behind closed doors. For today, you have your assignments from the other Professors. I suggest you hurry to your dorms and complete them." Glynda said, dismissing the class. All got up, as a stretcher came and took Fox and the unconscious Subaru away.

"Ah! Actually, Ruby Rose?" Ozpin spoke up, stopping Team RWBY and JNPR. Ozpin gave them a small smile, but directed his attention to the young Huntress. "Would you mind staying? There is something I wish to speak to you in private."

"Ah…" Ruby worriedly looked at her team, who shrugged in response. Turning back to Ozpin, she gave a nervous nod. "S-sure."

"Great." Ozpin replied as the class left, Ruby taking her seat in the bleachers. Ozpin looked towards the other Professors, a quizzical eyebrow raised. "I believe the two of you know my answer on the matter, so I shall leave it in your hands."

"I, for one, disagree that allowing him in would be a good idea." Goodwitch spoke, pushing her glasses up. "Not only for his… circumstances, but also due to the fact that he doesn't stand on par with the rest of the students. He overly made use of tricks and deceit to keep an upper hand on his opponent. That is not the way a Hunter must conduct themselves."

"Then that's a no?" Ozpin asked, Glynda nodding in return. Sighing, he looked to Ironwood. "General Ironwood, there is one yes and one no. Natsuki Subaru's fate rests on your shoulders."

"I don't have to think much on this, Oz. Again, drop the formalities." Ironwood said, locking his hands behind his back. "I do agree that young Subaru wouldn't be able to keep up most Hunters his age without the use of deceit, but why is that a bad thing? In war, one must make use of all their pawns on the chess board. You must attack, defend, and of course, deceive. Subaru has shown to be able to do all of that, not great, but we'll enough to stand on par with the first years. With time and effort, he may even become strong enough to fight alongside us."

"I highly doubt that." Glynda said, not disagreeing with the strengths, but the idea that the Archbishop would fight alongside them.

"So I take that as a yes?" Ozpin asked, Ironwood nodding. Ozpin smiled, happy that his plan would be put in action. "Great! Ms. Goodwitch, could you please make a profile for one Natsuki Subaru and prepare a scroll for his use?"

"Begrudgingly." Glynda replied, stomping her way out of the Amphitheater. Ozpin turned to Ironwood, ignoring the fuming Professor.

"General Ironwood, it was a pleasure to have you. Until next time." Ozpin said, holding out his hand.

"Again, drop the formalities, Oz. The pleasure was all mine." Ironwood said, shaking Ozpin's hand, following Glynda out of the amphitheater.

Silence met Ozpin as he watched the two adults leave. A nervousness hung in the air as one Ruby Rose shakenly made her way down to the arena. Ruby looked down, repeatedly stealing glances at the much taller man. Ozpin watched, sadness that one so young would fear one such as him.

"Ruby Rose. I have a favor to ask of you." Ozpin spoke, surprising Ruby. Ozpin thought of how to word what he had to say, as if he failed, his plan may crumble.

"A favor?" Ruby asked curiously. From what little she knew of the Headmaster, Ozpin wasn't one to ask for favors. He seemed more of the type to command, and order others.

"Yes, a favor. I have a request that I could only entrust to you, and you alone." Ozpin replied, further lining that this was indeed important. This only made the young Rose even more nervous. "I ask of you; become Subaru's friend."

"Huh?" Ruby replied, not expecting that request. "I mean, yeah! Of course! I was planning to anyways… but, uh, why? Is something wrong with him? I mean! I don't mind if something's wrong with him! I-I-"

"Don't worry so much, young Rose." Ozpin chuckled, finding amusement in the red girls behavior. "He does not have any mental issues… Well, that may be a lie, I do not know Subaru all that well personally." Ozpin said, more to himself than to the girl in front of him. "The reason I am asking you this is because Subaru is an extremely… special individual. He holds a power that most of us could only dream of using."

"Magic?" Ruby asked, hopeful that she wasn't going insane. Ozpin smiled, nodding his head. Indeed, Magic was a source of interest for Ozpin, in more ways than one.

"Precisely." Ozpin said, walking around Ruby. "Subaru can use Magic, an art that has been lost to those in Remnant, but is a normality in The World Above."

"So they World Above is real!?" Ruby asked, excitement brimming from her voice. The knowledge that all those fantasies she had as a child becoming reality made her excited. That Dragons, Elfs, and Giants existed made everything in life all the better.

"Oh, by all means, it exists." Ozpin reassured, happy that Ruby was easy enough to sway. "Remnant has forgotten of The World Above. I can't tell you more than this, but I want you to know, once Remnant comes to realize their existence, many things could happen. Some good, some bad."

"Now I'm even more confused." Ruby said, scratching her head. "Why would Remnant forget about such a cool place? What does Subaru have to do with all this? None of this makes sense, Headmaster."

"And I'm afraid it'll have to stay that way, Ruby." Ozpin said, his voice lined with melancholy. Ruby looked at him, confused. "For now, focus on being friends with Subaru. Focus on your study's and dreams. In time, you will understand the importance of why The World Above is kept so secret."

"O-Oh. Okay. I guess?" Ruby said, confused by what Ozpin said. This type of thinking wasn't for her. She shook her head, trying to rid the thoughts from her mind. "Is that all, Headmaster Ozpin?"

"Yes, that is all." Ozpin replied. With that, Ruby turned around, shaking her head violently as she left the amphitheater. Ozpin stood alone, left to his thoughts. Memories of the past resurfacing like ripples in a lake.

"Was this the right choice?"

* * *

Vale

Beacon Academy

Exchange Students Dormitory

"Ugh! What was with that guy!?" Mercury fumed, something of a rare sight for Cinder and Emerald. The sound of footsteps followed them as they turned into their dorm. "Of all the people that dumb Headmaster to choose, it had to be someone who kept using the same trick over and over!"

"What's so wrong with that?" Emerald asked, raising an eyebrow. "All we ever do is trick our enemies. Besides, you're a freaking assassin, all you ever do is lie and cheat."

"Ah, ah, ah! Unlike that freak of nature, I have class when I lie and cheat." Mercury defended, causing Emerald to roll her eyes. Cinder, sitting on her bed, raised an eyebrow at what Mercury said.

"Freak of Nature?" Cinder questioned, gaining her puppets attention. "Explain."

"Huh? You mean to tell me you didn't notice?" Mercury questioned, causing Cinders eyes to narrow dangerously. "Alright, alright. That guy Ozpin showed us? He wasn't an Aura user. He was a Magic User, and a Witch Cultist at that."

"What? You mean like that guy we get the Magic Potions from?" Emerald asked, sitting on her own bed, watching as Mercury shook his head.

"No, the guy we get our Potions from claims that he's a Cultist, but in reality he isn't. I've seen enough liars to tell that guy is just a Merchant who got his hands on some really dangerous equipment." Mercury explained, surprising Cinder and Mercury.

"And why, Mercury Black, did you not tell me sooner?" Cinder asked, her eyes flashing a scarlet red. Mercury nervously chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

"Haha! Well, you see, I didn't think it was important. I mean, we got what we wanted, and so did he. Besides, if he was part of the Cult, he would have been long dead by now." Mercury explained, causing Emerald to looked confused.

"Wait, what do you mean he would be dead?"

"Exactly that. You guys don't know it, but the Cult is extremely dangerous as well as protective. I've heard more than once whole villages being purged just for having one of their stupid cloaks." Mercury said, softly kicking his bed in frustration.

"You seem to know a lot of the Witch Cult, Mercury." Cinder said, stating the obvious.

"Of course. I am the son of a worthless assassin that wouldn't shut up about them. Always kept going on and on about how they were after him and they could never get him. I call Bullshit on that. We wouldn't be living in a shack in the middle of nowhere." Mercury shrugged, as Cinder adopted a thoughtful expression.

"Would you, per chance, think this Cultist would join us?" Cinder asked, causing Mercury to flinch, looking at her like she had grown two heads.

"Hell no! We are NOT working with that baby killer! I would rather trade my step legs than work with him!" Mercury yelled, hitting his metal legs.

"That wasn't my question, Mercury." Cinder said, an edge to her voice. Mercury flinched, before he looks away from her.

"I guess he would. Or he would try to kill us for outing him as a Cultist." Mercury said, shrugging before looking back at Cinder. "I'm just letting you know, I am one hundred percent against that idea."

"Duly noted." Cinder simply said. She would have to carefully think about this one. Emeralds face scrunched up, a thought passing her mind.

"Hey, I'm a little confused here." Emerald said, drawing the attention of her two comrades. "If he's a Cultist, what's he doing here? Obviously Ozpin must've known who he was. Hell, he flat out claimed to be to be a Magic User. Why did he let him take the test if he was a Cultist? That obviously must be dangerous for the students."

"Yeah, that's a good question." Mercury agreed, "He was also extremely weak. Even if Ozpin didn't know, there must be another reason why he let the Cultist in."

"It's obvious." Cinder said, a wry smile making its way to her lips. "Ozpin wants to keep an eye on him. He saw this as the perfect chance to understand how the Cult moves, and if needed, lower one of their numbers." Cinder explained, her smile growing twisted. "Even if he was weaker than everyone else in the school, Ozpin planned to let him pass. He is willing to gamble the lives of all the Hunters here just to watch someone like Natsuki Subaru, the Witch Cultist."

* * *

1) **Ok, the reason why they are using old Airships was originally because of dust, but that changed. I've just decided to keep it in due to dramatic effect.**

2) **For now, I'm changing 'Unseen Hands' to 'Claws' because that's how they look. They are deformed versions of the Unseen Hand; not perfected like Sloth's.**

3) **Look at the first episode of RWBY to see the surrounding areas. Also, I didn't forget about the rivers.**

4) **Slightly faster than an Athletic runner. This will be explained in the coming chapters, so it isn't just 'Oh, power up out of nowhere.'**

5) **Hahaha! Anybody who knows Arc 6 of Re-zero knows this tower! Oh, it hurts every time thinking of how Subaru forgets Julius, after he promised to never, ever forget him (SPOILER- During Arc 5 Roy(Gluttony) ate Julius's name, making the world forget about him, sending him into depression. Imagine how it felt for him when Subaru goes 'Nice to meet you' after saying he would always be there for him, remembering him.)**

6) **That's how Subaru is described in the Light Novel. His family all have those eyes that make them look like villains. Almost forgot to mention, this outfit is similar to some fanart I saw. Once I find the source, I will link it. Just imagine a dark cloak over that and you'll be set. Well, unless you want to imagine something different. EDIT on this. I changed it back ti a standard uniform for Cult grunts. One, cause of inconsistencies, and two because this'll change later. Just imagine Betelgeuse outfit with a orange cape for the cloak. Not taking down the scrapped image, cause that artist needs some fame. Will mark the new link on profile though.**

7) **You know, I never understood why Team CFVY sent Coco and Yatsuhashi into the Vytal festival. They're good at killing Grimm, not fighting Hunters. Fox and Velvet are both Master Martial Artists, so they would have mopped the floor with Mercury. Emerald would have had a tough time. Maybe it was for fanservice? I don't know.**

8) **Okay! Here's a fun piece of trivia! Did you know that in Re:Zero Canon the Witch's gained their powers or items by their own desires? Similar to RWBY Semblance. Pride got her power to judge the wicked, fear of the dishonest. Greed got her power because she was scared she'd never be able to help those beyond her sight (I think this can be interpreted as intelligence, as she gained a book that held all the world's answers). Lust because she was too afraid she wasn't beautiful enough for her spouse. Wrath because she wanted to heal the world, stop war, but was unable to (gained the ability to heal anything by punching people). Etc. There's a lot I can play around with here.**

9) **This is the point that differentiates this Subaru from Canon. Canon Subaru would try to change people's minds, not kill them outright. Canon Subaru would keep this in mind, not throw it away.**

* * *

Character Bio

 **Aura User: Fox Alistair**

 **Semblance: Sight**

 **Agility: A**

 **Durability: A**

 **Endurance: A**

 **Strength: A**

 **Speed: A**

 **Intelligence: A**

Fox Alistair, for most of his life, remained Blind. Unable to see the world, he grew saddened that he wouldn't be able to follow in the footsteps of his father. Due to massive amounts of training in perfecting his Aura, he was granted the one thing he wanted most in life- The ability to see.

Of course it isn't perfect. His Semblance allowed him to 'see' more. To be able to hear, Feel and sense what other could not. If one were to silence their breathing, shower the area with noise, Fox would be unable to do much of anything.

Note to self- his death would be most favorable if we plan to ruin morale.

* * *

The issue with Rem

 **Ok, when I first started this, Rem had a massive role to play. However, as I wrote this, my mind started drifting. This story has some of its major plot points in stone already, and probably won't change. However, whenever I thought of Rem, I thought to myself where she was needed. I am unable to come up with a proper consensus.**

 **I also don't want her to be in the story just to be in the story. It would do her character wrong to treat her as a background character as she, I don't know, does maid things.**

 **Of course she is in the story, that won't change, but until I can think of something she would be of use to, not just being there for fanservice, she will be removed from the tags. As will Garfiel. Cause he's dead. Heh.**

 **Why do I do this to my favorite characters?**

* * *

The problem with Pairings

 **Ok, this is a big one. I have my pairings chosen out. However, they could change as the story moves forward. This is a story that focuses on that; story. The pairings are subplots that'll happen, I'd say, during the dance arc. That's when we will see MASSIVE changes in the main characters. Not saying anything romantic will happen between characters, just saying that something will happen.**

 **That said, again, the characters will attract each other. I'm not going to force two characters together that won't make sense. Hope that clears a few things up.**

* * *

Story Rant

 **Ok! So things are picking up! Honestly, when I started this, I never thought I would be writing Fox's character. I enjoy him way to much.**

 **Now let's start with this chapter as a whole.**

 **I expected the damn thing to be 5,000 words, not 16,000 words.**

 **That said, this might be the last chapter that is that long for awhile. The next few chapters is mostly socializing, which I suck at. I'm good with characters talking about major things and theorizing, not mindlessly chit chatting. They might be short and take awhile, so I'm sorry. After this Arc however, is going to lead into events that I'm looking forward to. One plot is going to be new grounds for me, so bare with me.**

 **The fight scene this chapter was mediocre, but it was wither this slow paced, thought Out fight, or fast paced three paragraph long fight. Fox is mostly a hand to hand kind of guy, and Subaru manipulates his body like a puppet.**

 **Speaking of puppet, do you guys know how many freaking ways there are to use the Unseen Hands? Or how many original Yin spells I've created!? It's endless! I love it!**

 **One last thing- Ruby Rose. Again, this is the way I see her reacting if she were to come into contact with magic. It seems like she wants to be all over Subaru, but that isn't it. She s obsessing over the fact that Magic and Knights exist. She romanticizes the idea of Fantasy, not seeing the horror that resides within such a world.**

 **At best, all she feels towards Subaru is curiosity. She claimed friendship when in reality they barely knew each other. Subaru barely even cares about her either. To her that's all Subaru really is. Same with her team. All of them don't think he's right in the head, so they won't be that friendly as you'd think towards Subaru.**

* * *

Personal Rant

 **Wow! Thank you guys for the attention! Seriously! I don't think there has been one pure spiteful comment yet. I'm fearful of that day though.**

 **Anyways, as said before, next few chapters will be difficult. You'll find out the reason why next chapter, if you make it to the end that is.**

 **For now though, I'm going to continue polishing my writing, that is atrocious.**

 **Also, embarrassing story during Thanks Giving. Ok, so my Mom had recently purchased the IPhone X, and I was complaining about how overpriced it was. She agreed, but wanted to show me the differences from my Galaxy S6 (I use this for writing. I want a computer), so we're going through camera. Take a picture, and instead of pressing the back button, she pressed the 'Go to Gallery' button. So all these… adult pictures show up for me and her, and she just goes 'Wow! That a lot!'**

 **I want to die.**

* * *

Reviews

Phr33k- **Thank you! That means a lot! Seriously, it does! I'm not sure why everyone is ignoring this, but I won't complain. If someone else was writing this and they were only 5 chapters in, I'd ignore it too. For now I am grateful for the 2-5 followers per post.**

victormt2live- **Welcome back mate! Glad to have you with us!**

 **About his insanity, I planned that from the beginning, but it wasn't going to be implemented until later. Much later. For me, as a writer, it would feel cheap to not have a build up and just add it in whenever. I'm probably going to scrap it though, as this was a mechanic for another Fic, and I have a better idea that I can't spoil.**

 **About Regulus, the reason why he didn't really go on and on about his death is because there was really no point. I'm not sure if anyone else feels this way, or it might be because I'm generally uncaring, but when I think of my best friends dying, I don't feel sad. I know I'll feel sad when it happens, but thinking about it brings a meh feeling. I put this trait into Subaru because he's written to be uncaring, but he does care. When he does find out, you'll see his reaction.**

 **Plus he finds alleys deaths annoying. Imagine going back over and over just to save one person.**

 **Again, he is colder, but has a heart. He described himself as a bad guy for killing pregnant woman, that says something about how he views the world. He generally doesn't feel anything for death, seeing it as a game, but killing specific people and things makes him feel slightly bad. Not enough to cry over, but enough to go 'Wow, that's harsh.'**

 **I'm sorry that they haven't really met yet, but that's next chapter, I promise. It was meant to be this chapter, but if I continued this would have taken two weeks.**

 **I'm doing my best to update frequently. Thank you for reading! Hope to see you again soon! ALSO! I have a story progression thing at the bottom of my profile. Roughly let's people know how far I am in the chapter.**

 **Catch ya guys later!**


	6. First Days

**15,495 words when I expected 5,000… again. Well, I guess that's something. Can't promise this chapter is good though, as I personally hate it, but it does it's job. Next chapter will be much more comfortable to write. Which might make it faster coming out.**

 **I'm also looking for a Beta if anyone wants. Mostly want a second pair of eyes, and to share ideas with, ya'know? Editing won't really be a issue, if you don't think it'll be your forte. I think I do a moderate job at editing.**

 **Anyways, welcome to Chapter Two of Arc Two! I officially have a name for it now! It's called, Desire! At the end of this Arc, we will find out what Subaru's 'Desire' is! And thank you to all the Favorites and Follows! It means a lot!**

 **As always, I answer reviews down below. If you wanna chat or anything, be sure to PM! But don't use the Apps PM's. They don't work. You have to PM through the website!**

* * *

Beacon Academy

Hospital

Tuesday

He breathed. The sound of Oxygen leaving his lungs filled the room with sound. In and out, Oxygen and Carbon. A never ending cycle of breathing. With a slight flutter, his crust filled eyes opened, strained as light momentarily blinded him. Not that of Sun, but an electronic light that he had become accustomed to in Remnant.

The flaming electronic showered the room in light, other beds like his lined the room, yet all were empty. Pale white greeted him, as the walls were coated in a paint only he could describe as 'pure'. Sheets made of cloth covered the bedding, one of which he laid upon himself. A window shown in the far left, showing the light of the rising Sun. The smell of chemicals hit his nose like a bad aroma, but he didn't complain, for there was more pressing matters than smell.

Subaru didn't know where he was.

Memories flooded his mind. The painful walk to Beacon. The discussion with Ozpin, Glynda and Ironwood. The slow and calculated fight between him and Fox. The constant loops and painful deaths he experienced just because of his Pride. Yet in all of his memories, not once did he remember coming to a Hospital room.

He didn't freak out however, as this was a normality. Well, that could be considered a lie. Only five times within his life Subaru had woken only to be unsure of where he slept. It was just that that Subaru knew when to keep a cool head, and how to act in situations such as these.

With a deep breath, Subaru sat up, laying his bare feet upon the cold ground. It was only then that he realized the state of his body. There was no cloak, nor trench coat, nor shirt. His chest was plain, except for the scars and medical tape that surrounded his right shoulder. His feet had been stripped, as was his pants. Raising an eyebrow, he deduced that someone might've stripped him and… healed him? This was a normal practice within the Cult, but he couldn't remember being healed anywhere other than within a forest or some dug out cave.

That meant he must be in a hospital.

Sudden realization came over Subaru as he felt a lack of presence around his neck. Eyes widened, they darted across the room, trying to find his belonging. Subaru didn't need to look hard, as his eyes passed over a bundle of clothes next to his bed, folded neatly. A purple crystal sat atop it, glistening in the Light. Ignoring the cold sensations that rid their way up his legs, Subaru hurriedly made his way to the pile of cloth, tenderly grasping the Mauve Crystal.

Subaru eagerly put it around his neck, savoring the warmth it gave as it sat upon his bare chest. Subaru was unsure of what importance this Crystal was to its previous owner, but he knew what it meant to him. This crystal was… precious to him. Something that couldn't be replaced, no matter how many Holy Coins there were.

Glancing at the clothing, Subaru quickly donned his usual attire, quickly and quietly. As he put on his shirt, he couldn't help but wince, whatever was hidden within this bandages hurt. A lot. Continuing to the Coat he winced again. Finally, his torn and tattered Cloak, which he promised to sew once again, was an easy matter. Wrapping it around his collar bone, he clasped it tight around his neck, as so it wouldn't sway with his movements. He took extra care to avoid the crystal being seen, as was a habit for him.

Eyes focused, he made his way to the hospital door, as there was no reason for him to linger there. Hospitals were a place for healing; Subaru didn't need healing. Grasping the doorknob, he was surprised when it opened with blistering speed, hitting him in the face. Falling, he landed on his behind, a groan escaping his mouth.

"Crap! I'm so sorry! Are you ok!?" An angelic voice asked. Through squinted eyes Subaru looked upon the offender. Pink hair wrapped in a bun, white button up lab coat, black stockings and heels. If Subaru had to be honest, she was probably one of the most odd looking characters he had encountered in Remnant. She held out her hand, an offering to help him up. "Here, let me help you up."

Subaru stared at the hand for a second, before accepting the offering. It wasn't like there was a need to decline help. Heck, that was how Subaru survived most loops. With a heave, Subaru was lifted from the ground with surprising strength. Surprise seemed to show on his face, if the giggle the woman let out was any indication.

"I believe you must be Subaru, correct?" She asked, causing Subaru to look at her suspiciously. How did this woman know his name? He had only shared it with Ruby, Sun, Ozpin and Garfiel, one of which was dead. Unless this woman knew one of them, then he needed to keep his guard up.

"Greetings. My name is Natsuki Subaru. It is a pleasure to meet you." Subaru greeted politely, bowing his head slightly. The pink haired woman giggled slightly before greeting him back.

"My Name is Peach, Nurse Peach, or as you'll soon call me, Professor Peach." Peach greeted, walking past Subaru, laying a stack of papers upon his bed. "I was asked by Ozpin to keep an eye on you, but as you can see, I'm really busy. Why couldn't he have asked another Nurse, I'm not sure."

"Oh, so Ozpin asked you…" Subaru responded, an image of Ozpin coming into his mind. That explained why she knew his name, but Subaru didn't let his guard down. This woman was strong, and could easily take him down in the first loop if need be. Subaru backed up to the door, his eyes not leaving her as he planned his escape. "Well, I thank you for looking after me, but as you can see, I am perfectly fine."

"O~h no you don't!" Peach said, catching Subaru's left shoulder, spinning him around and pushing him onto his bed. All that happened within a second, surprising the Archbishop. "I promised the Headmaster that I would keep an eye on you until you were fine, and I don't go back on my promises that easily."

Subaru glared, standing up, only to be pushed back down by Peach. This ticked Subaru off, but he didn't show it. He wouldn't give the woman what she wanted.

"As I said, I'm fine." Subaru stood as he shoved his way past Peach, opening the door to the hallway, only to bump into something. His eyes widened in surprise as Peach stood there, her arms crossed and a triumphant grin on her face. Looking back and forth in shock, he marveled at how she had gotten to one place when she had been behind him just a second before. "How did you do that?"

"Trade Secret!" Peach winked as she grabbed Subaru's arm. Within an instant, he was back in his bed, his clothing removed once more, folded neatly beside his bed. Surprise was evident on his face as he sat up, grabbing the necklace and wrapping it around his head.

"Did… did I just die?" Subaru asked himself as the tingle of fear made itself known in his chest. The Professor had just touched his arm, and he died? That was… a terrifying ability.

"What? I'd never kill a student of mine!" A voice spoke next to him, surprising him again. Turning to his left, Peach sat there, going through the piles of paper in a flash. "I just put you back in your bed! Nothing wrong with that, right? Now if you'd wait a second, I'll heal you back up."

"Put… me… back?" Subaru repeated, his eyes widening as he covered his face. What exactly did that mean? Sure, the wording sounded simple, but for Subaru those words held much more than that. Due to experiences in the past, Subaru had become naturally observant. While he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, he was able to pick up on tiny details that others wouldn't have notice. Subaru had been put back in his bed, that was for certain. The problem with this is that he was put back in his bed before he had gotten out of his bed. Before he had put on his clothes.

Even the crust in his eyes were back.

"Pe… Professor Peach?" Subaru spoke up, a feeling of dread forming in his stomach. Looking up from her work, Peach motioned for him to continue. "Is your Divi… Semblance the ability to travel through time?"

Peach stopped what she was doing, eyes widening ever so slightly. With a smile that could seduce any man, she turned to Subaru. Her eyes held… something Subaru wasn't able to read before it disappeared. "Boy, you're observative! I can see why Ozpin would want you to be a student here! Not a lot of people could piece together something like that that quickly!"

Subaru didn't respond, instead staring at her with shock. He wasn't sure what to make of this. On one hand, this woman was a person he was able to relate to. On the other, she was a threat. An extremely dangerous threat. Biting his lip, he formed a Claw over his shoulder, drawing slowly to the woman. He honestly didn't want to do this, he could relate to her, however she was a threat to him. Peach needed to be erased.

"Done!" Peach yelled, slamming her pen on the desk with a triumphant smile. Her cheer startled Subaru, causing him to jump, deforming the Claw. Peach turned to him, a spark of excitement in her eyes. "Now, Subaru, we're going to patch you up good as new!"

"Patch me up?" Subaru repeated. Subaru couldn't help the grunt that escaped his mouth as he was pushed down onto the bed. Out of nowhere, straps of leather made their way around the bed, tying him into place. Confusion made its way to his face, as the sound of metal hitting metal hit his ears. Turning to Peach, who's back was turned to him as she dug through a drawer, Subaru's face contorted in anger. "Hey! What are you doing!?"

"Oh? I thought I said I was patching you up?" Peach said as she brought out a needle, the red liquid splashing around inside. She grinned wickedly as she turned to Subaru, flicking the needle with her free hand. In an instant, she was in front of him, her ability to time travel frightening him. "Now, this'll only hurt a little."

"Hey, wait, I told you that I'm fine!" Subaru said, paling at the sight of the needle. Even with his immortality, Subaru still feared a great many things. Specifically, it was dying in ways that would be considered abnormal. Being squashed, danced to death, or thrown into the world's orbit was just a few of the many scenarios Subaru had thought of. Normally, being killed by a needle wouldn't be considered abnormal, but after witnessing the Archbishop of Lust, Capella, kill a man with a thousand needles, it became a fear for Subaru to die by. In panic, Subaru struggled against his restraints, trying to find an escape. "H-Hey! Y-You don't need to put any sharp, pointy weapons into me, right!? That's just for show, right!?"

"Weapons? This is a needle, a tool to heal! Now, sit tight as I do my job!" Peach kindly said, her face portraying something vastly different. As the needle descended to his right shoulder, Subaru panicked. Forming a Claw, he grabbed her hand, keeping it back. Peach's face mirrored that of confusion. "Huh? Why won't it budge?"

"I-I'm not letting you stab me with such a vile tool!" Subaru said, his speech jumping from casual to formal. Peach stared at him for a second, her face unsure, before her smile returned in full force.

"Oh? You have an interesting power, Natsuki Subaru! Sadly, you can't fight against time!" Peach said, as her hands started to vibrate rapidly, slowly pushing their way past his Claw. Sweat pour down Subaru's face, the needle drawing ever closer. Forming another hand, he grabbed the needle itself, attempting to bend the tip. Yet no matter how much he tried, he couldn't grasp it.

The needle drew near, and there was no way to stop it. Subaru gave up on trying to grasp the needle, instead moving the hand to Peach's chest. It wasn't fast, as Subaru would have hoped, but dreadfully slow. As it drew closer to her chest, the Claw flattened, doing its best to imitate a sword. Subaru needed to kill Professor Peach.

"Ah, young Subaru, you're aw-." A voice spoke, breaking Subaru's concentration. The instant that his claws deformed was the instant time seemed to lag for Subaru. Time slowed to a crawl as the needle entered his right shoulder. Pain erupted throughout his chest as one, final, scream escaped his throat.

* * *

"I am terribly sorry for that, Subaru." Ozpin said, his back turned to Subaru as he continued to get dressed. Subaru sent him a glare, draping his cloak over his shoulder, tightening it so it wouldn't sway. "I know Professor Peach can be a… little radical when it comes to healing, but I assure you, she is the best Doctor in all of Vale."

"That, I can agree with." Subaru agreed, nodding his head as he pulled up his pants. While it was true that needle was painful, and more than a little scary, whatever it did had achieved its job. Moving his right arm up and down, he marveled at how the pain, which had bothered him minutes prior, had suddenly vanished. It was like one of the Cult healers, numbing the pain and fixing the body. Miraculous. Grabbing his Mauve Crystal, he hid it under his coat, unwilling to let anyone see it. Sitting on the bed, he went about tying his shoes. "So, Headmaster Ozpin, I don't mean to be rude, but why are you here? So early in the morning I might add. I doubt it's for my well being, correct?"

"Ah, you think so little of me, Mr. Natsuki." Ozpin said with a smile, unmoving from his position. "I merely came here to inform you of your success during my test. I am proud to say that from now on, you are a honorary student of my school, Beacon Academy!"

"Really?" Subaru asked, unsure how to feel about this. While it was indeed true that he wished to enter the school, after the whole Fox fight, he was unsure. Subaru was mainly nervous about how difficult the other students were. 'No matter. As long as I become more powerful, then I'm fine with whatever trial.'

"Indeed. While your fight wasn't as flashy or fast paced as my other students, you were able to outsmart your opponent. Even if it was after the match was over. Another thing I would like to point out is that you drew Fox, one of our top combatants, into a draw." Ozpin said, smiling as he stared at the door to the hallway. "I believe, with enough time and dedication, you will be able to pass Fox in both brain and brawn."

"That's good to hear." Subaru said, the smallest of smiles gracing his lips. That was good. That was his current goal anyways, and he planned to gain skills that'd make even Regulus' jaw drop. 'I still need to learn which Archbishop died. If it's one of the Gluttons, then my goal will be that much easier to pass.' "Is that all you wanted to tell me, Headmaster Ozpin?"

"No, I also came here to show you to your dorm." Ozpin said, as Subaru stood, raising an eyebrow. That was a new word for him.

"A dorm? What's that?" Subaru asked, as he passed by Ozpin, opening the door for the older gentlemen, who gratefully passed by the younger man. Ozpin gave a chuckle, leading the way out of the hospital. The lights in the hall flickered, as conversations from other occupants started to rise in volume. It was almost like the hospital seemed to come to life, Nurses and patients alike shuffling about with smiles adoring their faces. Weird.

"That's right, you're from The World Above, correct?" Ozpin asked, causing Subaru to give a slight nod. It wasn't as if he was trying to hide it, even though the people of Remnant seemed to be hiding facts from themselves. "So, they don't have dorm rooms or apartments from where you come from?"

"No, I don't believe so." Subaru said, racking his head trying to find those words within his mind. Ozpin glanced over his shoulder, and as if reading his mind, he gave a chuckle of amusement.

"Ok, then I shall explain what exactly that is as we head there." Ozpin said as they turned a corner, the light of the main entrance shining a brilliant red and white. Subaru listened, his words giving him the chance to learn more about Remnant. "A apartment, or a dorm room in this case, is similar to a home. You and three other students shall share this room, learning about teamwork and how to properly become a Hunter."

"Three others? Who are they?" Subaru asked, a feeling of annoyance settling in his stomach. While he didn't mind sharing a room with others, as he had with Regulus, Betelgeuse and Purpura in the past, the problem was that others tend to ask him a ridiculous amount of questions, each having little to no meaning. That could be described as typical chatter, and Subaru understood that the questions were to get to know him better, but still, annoying. They walked out into the burning light, the sun blinding Subaru momentarily as he followed the dark silhouette of Ozpin.

"Ah, It's only one student I'm afraid. As I said before, we had an odd number of initiates this year, so I was hoping to use you as a stepping stone to remedy those numbers. As for who it is, I'll allow you to meet them yourself." Ozpin said, continuing the walk. Subaru was tempted to try and see if Ozpin was willing to budge and tell him who was roommate was, but a gut feeling stopped him. Somehow, without even asking, he could already tell what his answer was going to be.

"Alright, I'll wait. Isn't like I'm going to know them by name, so it's probably for the better." Subaru shrugged, his coat and cloak moving along with him. "From the way you're describing these… dorms, they seem to be very reminiscent of Inns."

"Oh, so The World Above has similar concepts such as ours?" Ozpin said, sounding more like a statement than a question. If Subaru had to guess, it was because he most likely knew how The World Above operated. "Yes, in fact, Apartments and School Dorms could be described as extensions of village Inns. Actually, I'm pretty sure that was the original idea. Inns are very similar to apartment complex's, as they both house and feed their occupants. For a price of course."

"So I would have to pay for my housing then? I'm sorry Headmaster Ozpin, but I only have Holy Coins, and as I learned the hard way, Remnant doesn't accept this kind of currency." Subaru said as he took out twenty Holy Coins, giving an example to Ozpin. Ozpin looked at the coins, his eyes widening in surprise before resuming their normal visage. Ozpin smiled at Subaru, continuing their walk.

"It is fine, Subaru, as your stay here at Beacon is free of charge. Housing, Food and general comfort is all paid for by the school." Ozpin said, Subaru letting out a sigh of relief at this news. It would have been a pain to have to find a way around paying for everything. "However, would it be alright if you'd spare me five Holy Coins? Of course, you'll be fairly compensated in Remnant Currency."

"Are you sure, Headmaster? Holy Coins are extremely expensive and sought after. How can I know that you will fairly pay me in full?" Subaru asked, skeptical of the older gentleman. While he was grateful to Ozpin for the chance to learn new skills, that didn't mean he trusted the man. Anyone could claim one thing, but mean the other.

"Of course, young Subaru. I am in charge of a whole Academy, mind you." Ozpin reassured, his Cane tapping softly against the ground. Ozpin didn't say it, but he was probably the richest man in Vale, the fact that he practically owned the Kingdom a secret to most of every one in Remnant. "Besides, I don't think of myself as a conman, even if I may appear like so at times."

Subaru didn't respond immediately, instead staring at the Holy Coins in his hands. Twenty. With Twenty coins, he could buy an estate and live frivolously for months. With five, like Ozpin was asking for, he could live on the move for years without worrying. With a sigh, he picked out five Holy Coins and held it out to the man walking beside him. Ozpin smiled gratefully, examining the coins.

"Ah~, Flugel's Tree, The Ancient Dragon and The Sword Saint. Three of Lugnica's cherished symbols." Ozpin said, pocketing the coins for later. "I will be sure to provide you with enough Lien to compensate for the trust you have put in me."

"The more I talk to you, the more you sound like a scheming Merchant." Subaru pointed out, rounding the corner to a rectangular building. Windows and trees lined the sides of the building, some of the windows leading to balconies. If Subaru had to compare it to anything, it would have to be some of the newer residential buildings in Lugnica. Only, this building looked much, much fancier.

"A scheming Merchant? Hmm, scheming, maybe, but a Merchant? I am far from that, Subaru." Ozpin responded, giving a light chuckle. "At best, you could describe me as a trustworthy fox, giving hints but never telling the full truth."

"I'm not sure you're helping your case, Headmaster." Subaru forced a chuckle, years of practice paying off as the laugh came out as genuine. The laugh came to a crawl, as a realization dawned on him. Reaching into his coat, he pulled out his Gospel. Flipping to the last page, he checked, and hoped for a new entry. Alas, the same cryptic verse for Ruby rang out, annoying Subaru a great deal. It had been four days since the last message, and it was starting to grow on his nerves. He had found the Silver Eyed girl, so what now? Was he supposed to befriend her? Kill her? Manipulate her? It said it would lead him to what he desired most, so she couldn't be the goal, but a stepping stone. If she was a stepping stone, then what would lay beyond that measly step?

Better question, why was Ruby the catalyst for his desire? Why did this girl, who knew naught of Magic and Knights, have to be the stepping stone? What role did she have to play in the grand scheme of things? It didn't matter if she ended up dead to Subaru, as she was insignificant to him, but why her? What made her so special?

"We have arrived at our destination, Subaru." Ozpin spoke up, shaking Subaru out of his trance. Looking up, Subaru took in his surroundings. Most of it was concrete, bricks and all. Grass sat directly behind them as a Building, similar to the ones before, sat in front of them. The only difference was that they were gazing at it from the front. Stone stairs leading to a walkway that went to two glass panels greeted Subaru in an ordinary way. Ozpin smiled, the gentle expression reaching his eyes. "If you'll just follow me, I will show you to your room."

Subaru wordlessly nodded, walking alongside Ozpin as they followed the stone path. The sound of a tapping cane was all they heard as the continued to the glass panels. Subaru looked at Ozpin, confused as to what he was thinking. Were they going to walk into the Panels without any care? A sudden sliding sound caught Subaru off guard, but what he saw caused his mouth to drop. The Windows, which stood in front of him, slid to the side, greeting him to the inside of the building.

"I see that the Sliding Glass Doors caught you by surprise, Subaru." Ozpin noted, standing in front of Subaru, his body turned to the side. Subaru's head went back and forth between Ozpin and the doors, shock and amazement clear on his face.

"Of course that caught me by surprise!" Subaru said, his voice raised slightly as he walked in and out of the building, watching in excitement as the doors opened and closed. "This… this is revolutionary! I no longer need to open a door with my hands! All I need is my mind!"

Ozpin gave a chuckle at this, unwilling to spoil Subaru's fun. This just proved to the aging man that somewhere, deep inside the body of that Archbishop, was a child willing to see the light of the world. All Subaru would need was a more flammable, contagious light. That's where he hoped Ruby would step in. If all fails though… Ozpin vowed to end Subaru himself.

"Now, enough with the doors. Time is of the essence, and I need to show you to your dorm before classes begin." Ozpin said, walking ahead of Subaru, the younger boy following with earnest. Subaru took this chance to look at the inside of the building, it's tiles sparkling clean, the smell of chemicals in the air.

For Subaru, the first area could be categorized as a giant lobby. Couches and tables lined the area, sitting on a sewn carpet of black and peach. Rectangular boxes hung from the sides of the walls, some displaying some form of moving pictures. Subaru could only assume that they were A form of two way mirrors, similar to that of Lugnica's. Mechanical machines lined a counter in what Subaru had to presume was a kitchen. Students lined the area, some getting food, others just mindlessly chit Chatting

Ozpin moved past those however, ignoring the appliances that seemed rather ordinary to him, but miraculous to Subaru. Walking up to sliding doors made of Iron, Ozpin tapped a button right next to it, an arrow indicating upwards. Subaru had but a second to think of it as the Iron doors slid open, revealing a set of students in various Attire.

"Ah! Headmaster Ozpin! Good morning!" One of the more casual students spoke up, giving a slight bow to her head. Ozpin returned the greetings, the students leaving the metal box and continuing with their business. Without a moment's notice, Ozpin stepped into the metal box, Subaru hesitating slightly before following the older man.

With another press of a button, the Iron doors closed, a barely audible click resounding within the box. With a shake, one that startled Subaru, the box started moving. Subaru felt a little motion sickness as the box continued to move in a direction that was unknown by the Archbishop.

"Hey, Headmaster, what is this thing?" Subaru asked as he leaned on the wall, his face paling as he covered his mouth. This was a new sensation for Subaru, as he normally enjoyed riding in carriages. However, in carriages he was always able to see where it was going.

"This, Subaru, is a elevator. It's an instrument created by humans and Faunus to replace stairs. Both go up and down, leading you to higher or lower elevation depending on your destination." Ozpin said, watching as the numbers counted down until it hit the desired floor. With another, barely audible click, the door opened up to another hallway. Doors upon doors lead to a maze of twist and turns Subaru was sure to be lost in.

"I would be amazed, if it didn't mess with my head so much." Subaru said as he stepped out of the elevator, taking a breather to calm himself. Ozpin walked past Subaru, leading the way through the hall of doors.

"Of course, there are stairs if you so wish to take them." Ozpin responded, Subaru making a note to find them later. Subaru followed Ozpin in silence, the occasional student greeting the Headmaster in either surprise or delight. It soon became apparent that most, if not all, of the school held some form of respect for the Graying Headmaster.

"Ah, here we are." Ozpin said, turning to one of the many doors within the hallway. Subaru couldn't help but notice that all of the doors looked exactly the same, except for the numbers on the wall. 4-M. Subaru copied the sight into his head. Ozpin, taking out a white rectangle, slid it through a black box next to the door knob. It flashed a bright green, as another clicking sound was heard, before Ozpin reached and opened the door, allowing them both to enter the room. "This is where you will be staying for the next four years, Subaru."

Taking the initiative, Subaru walked inside. Four beds made up the majority of the room, red blankets covering the white sheets underneath. Books lined the shelf on the side, various novels and textbooks leaning on one another, but none falling. A window overlooking the courtyard hung between the four beds, shining light into the room. A door leading to a restroom sat on the right of the room, it's marble floor glistening wet, as either someone just cleaned or used it.

"Hmm, it appears your roommate is absent. No matter, for now, get dressed. There is a uniform that all students must wear during school hours. I have taken the liberty of designing you one, as you'll find on one of the beds." Ozpin said, closing the door slowly. Subaru watched this, before his eyes darted around the room, scanning for the uniform that Ozpin mentioned.

As Ozpin had said, a pile of black and red cloths sat on one of the beds. Making his way to it, Subaru picked up the clothing, the size appearing to fit him perfectly. From the texture, it felt of fine silk, yet Subaru could tell it was just an ordinary pair of cloth. A suit, tie, pants and socks. Looking down, Subaru noticed a pair of leather shoes placed specifically at the edge of the bed.

It didn't take long for Subaru to get dressed. After a series of events during the beginning years of his life, he had been taken in by a family friend, who appointed him as a Butler. While Subaru wasn't proficient at most of the work, he at least knew how to put a suit on and tie a tie. It was really the only thing he was ever truly good at; that and sewing.

A mirror sat next to the front door, a desk pushed in the corner without any care. Walking over, Subaru couldn't help but take in his visage. A view he hadn't seen in a very, very long time.

The view reflected his own. A black suit, red tie with a white colored shirt. Black slacks, leather boots with white socks underneath. Gold lined the zipper and shoulders, somehow fitting with the black, red and white color scheme. His necklace hung underneath, out of sight for any who tried to view.

It had been years since Subaru had worn anything other than the Cults uniform, given to him by the ever detestable Betelgeuse. At first Subaru hated it, as it was a symbol of what he used to hate, but it had grown on him. It had become something that could be described as… precious? No, that's not the right word. Something similar, but not to that extent.

Yet for some reason, it felt wrong. While the Uniform fit his body perfectly, and he was able to move around without restraint, something just felt… wrong. Like he had been stripped of his clothing, being revealed to the world without restraint. Like he was forgetting something. Looking to his discarded outfit, Subaru realized the issue. He had discarded his cloak. Reaching down, he grabbed the torn fabric, gently lifting it to his eyes. His iris glazed over, as he remembered the person who made this for him. A neat freak, monstrous, and although strict, kindhearted gentleman. A butler who made him nervous just thinking about him. Clind.

Without hesitating, he donned the cloak over his shoulders once more. Clasping the lock tight, to make sure it wouldn't sway with his movements. Subaru looked back into the mirror, the cloak covering his shoulders, falling to just above his knees. The edges were torn, something he would need to remedy soon… no matter how many times he kept reminding himself. In all honesty, the cloak didn't match the suit, slightly bugging him. With a huff, he removed it. Subaru wasn't willing to part with it though. With a snap of his fingers, he wrapped it around his waist, the fabric barely touching the ground. Spinning, Subaru gave a nod. This fit much better.

Steadily, Subaru made his way to the door, opening it to a patiently waiting Ozpin, who looked Subaru up and down.

"I see you decided to keep the cloak and necklace." Ozpin noted, motioning for Subaru to follow. Subaru, for his part, couldn't help his eyes widened as he spoke of the necklace. He swore that it was hidden extremely well. "While it isn't against regulations to change your attire as you wish, it isn't recommended. Most teachers are okay with the changes, while some of the more stricter ones will more than likely point out your changes."

"I'll deal with that when the time comes." Subaru said, not really caring. If a teacher tried to remove his attire, he would personally deal with them, even if it meant a reset. Subaru followed Ozpin in silence, before the older man seemed to stop, snapping his fingers. Reaching in his coat, he pulled out a white rectangle, similar to the one earlier, and held it out for Subaru.

"Here, this is yours."

"What is it?" Subaru asked, gently grabbing the device, the texture of the object feeling foreign to him. He held it up to his face, it swinging back and forth. Ozpin watching him for a second, before pushing up his optical lenses.

"That, Subaru, is a Scroll. To put it in simple terms, it's a device that'll allow you to communicate with others at long distances, and record how much health you have." Ozpin explained, Subaru looking confused at the word 'health'. "You will learn more on how to use it as time goes on. I'm sure you will find it most useful in your ventures."

"If you say so." Subaru said, pocketing it for later. He had witnessed Ozpin use it to open the door earlier, so it must've been some kind of key. If what Ozpin said was true, then it could also communicate long distances with others. This suspiciously sounded a lot like the Metia's The Cult made use of. "So, what's next?"

"I originally planned to have been gone by now, having your roommate escort you around. However, seeing as he isn't around right now, I will have to ask another student to do his task." Ozpin said, not sounding bothered with it in the least. Subaru nodded, following Ozpin without a word. There was not much to talk about, and Subaru didn't see a reason to mingle with the Headmaster. From what little he knew of schools in The World Above, Headmasters weren't that close to the students which they ruled. No doubt, the same rule applied to those within Remnant.

Although, the students greeted the Headmaster nonchalantly made him doubt that very much.

A sudden scream and crash caught both Ozpin's and Subaru's attention. Glancing at each other, they both picked up their pace, Ozpin in worry and Subaru in curiosity. Subaru couldn't bring himself to care if someone were to die, as long as it didn't interfere with his goal. Turning a corner, they were greeted with a mirage of students, all in different, but entertaining, positions. Some Subaru recognized as Team RWBY, some were less recognizable.

The room was large, large enough to hold multiple couches and three tables, two in what appeared to be a kitchen, the other in what could be described as a lobby of sorts. A wide array of food was laid across one of the tables, a dark haired boy flipping a pan, food flying up and down. A Blonde and muscular Brunette sat at an empty table, hands locked together as visible strain marred their face, the arm wrestle being intense. A scarlet haired girl watched, sat outside of the bounds of the kitchen alongside another blond, who seemed all too excited with the match unfolding. A Black haired girl sat, uncaring as she continued to flip through her book. A white haired girl sat in the corner, going through a device in her hands. Ruby, the only one Subaru truly recognized, seemed to be intensely watching the match unfold with a sparkle in her eyes. Same with a orange haired juggernaut of a woman.

Truly, a weird sight for one Natsuki Subaru.

* * *

"I'm not gonna let you win, Cardin!" Yang grunted, her breath hitching as she felt herself budge under his strength. Closing her eyes, she focused solely on her right hand, unable to tell if that was helping or not.

"Same here, blondie!" Cardin responded, unable to think up of a good comeback. Gritting his teeth, he did his best not to budge under the strength of Yang Xiao Long, his pride unwilling to take a hit like that. Cardin didn't mind losing to a girl, but if it was Yang, he wouldn't allow it. Couldn't allow it.

Yang and Cardin, huntsmen in training, were unwilling to budge an inch. A long standing rivalry between strength being put on the line. Sweat poured off their red faces, Cardin gritting his teeth while Yang taking a deep breath, trying not to lose her cool. The sound of Ren making his pancakes echoed through the room, no one willing to break the concentration of either participants. Yang could feel her strength leaving her though, Cardin's endurance being more than what she could handle on her own. She couldn't help but think she was finally going to lose. To cave in under the pressure of the Mace Wielder.

A quick glance at her sister changed that though. Images of her sister, on her knees, doing dirty work giving her strength to fight back against Cardin. With a grunt, and a puff, she gritted her teeth as she made her comeback. Cardin's eyes widened in surprise as he felt his arm budge, slowly drawing closer to the table. Frantically, he did his best to push back, but no matter what he did, nothing would work.

With one final heave, the back of his hand slammed against the table.

"YEAH!" Yang cheered, throwing her arms up in the air in victory, Ruby jumping in excitement as Nora flipped the table, her excitement being uncontainable. Yang pointed at Cardin, who was leaned back against the chair, looking up at the ceiling as his arms hung uselessly next to him. "Cardin! You lost! You know what that means!"

"Yeah, yeah, it's Team CRDL's turn on cleaning duty. Next week." Cardin said, waving Yang off. With a sigh, he stood up, smirking at Yang, holding out a arm. "But that was a good match, Yang! Same time next week?"

"You know it! And prepared to get your butt kicked again!" Yang said, grabbing Cardin's arm. While it couldn't be said that CRDL were friends with RWBY and JNPR, both could respect the others strength. That was really the only language Cardin Winchester spoke, and one Nora and Yang spoke fluently. It was only after the trip to Forever Fall that CRDL was willing to even talk though.

"Ha! You wish, Blondie!" Cardin said, letting go of Yang, who in turn did as him. Turning, Cardin aimed for the entrance of the lobby, only to stop in surprise. Sweat poured down his face, his eyes widening, and his muscles stiffening. Curious, Yang followed his line of sight, only to mimic Cardin's exact expression.

For what was standing there, his smile calm and amused, was the Headmaster of Beacon Academy; Ozpin.

"H-Headmaster!" Cardin said, straightening his back, standing at attention for the older man, Jaune mimicking his movements. Yang looked at them weirdly, trying to play the sudden appearance off, while Nora and Ruby went about fixing the table Nora had flipped.

"Headmaster! What a pleasure to have you here!" Weiss greeted, taking over for the shell shocked group. Apparently years of being a princess paid off, as she saw those in higher authority as just that, people of higher authority. Ozpin gave her a smile, unperturbed by the two girls distressing over the table.

"The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Schnee." Ozpin courteously responded, motioning for Jaune and Cardin to ease their posture, which they did. Cardin, instead of sticking around, made for the entrance, brushing past Ozpin in his haste. "I see that you are finally getting along with Team CRDL. That's good."

"I wouldn't say that." Ren spoke up, his back still facing the aged man, flipping the pancakes he worked so hard to make. "We have come to an agreement. Nothing more, nothing less. Hostilities as that between Cardin and Jaune won't disappear over night, and they still pick on the weak, which we do not condone. We just merely have an understanding of strength." Rem stopped flipping the pancake, laying it on a plate before turning to Ozpin, a smile on his face. "Do you want a pancake?"

Silence flowed through the room. Everyone looked at Ren with a mixture of shock and admiration. What he said wasn't wrong, but no one expected him of all people to say, well, any of that. He usually stuck to short sentences, not bothering to waste as much breath as he just did. Ozpin smiled, shaking his head.

"No, I am quite fine, thank you. It appears that I still need to have a talk with CRDL then." Ozpin sighed, dreading the future that was to come. "That is not the reason I came here though."

"I don't mean to sound rude, Headmaster, but why are you here?" Weiss asked, the question being on everyone's mind. "I mean, in this dormitory specifically. I don't think Team RWBY has warranted a visit by the Headmaster himself, have we?"

"We haven't!" Ruby yelled, drawing everyone's attention to her. Her eyes darted left and right, sweat trickling down her face. "I-I mean, there's no way I snuck into the cafeteria and ate all the cookies!"

"Yeah!" Nora agreed, her face mimicking Ruby's perfectly. "I definitely didn't go in the kitchen and steal all the pancake batter! Pfft! Who would do such a thing!?"

"So that's where all the batter came from." Ren said, still flipping the pancake like it was the most normal thing in the world. Ozpin looked between all of them, judging and evaluating each and everyone of them.

"Ignoring young Roses and Valkyries midnight escapades, that is not the reason I have came to visit." Ozpin said, causing both Ruby and Nora to sigh in relief. "The reason I came to visit, is to ask a request of one of you."

"A request?" Pyrrha asked, causing Ozpin to nod, a smile still marking his face.

"Indeed. I suppose you still remember the Initiation that was held yesterday?" A chorus of nods and affirmatives made their way through the gathered crowd. "Well, to make a long story short, he has been accepted into the school. Not only that, I originally planned to have his roommate escort him around, but seeing as he isn't available at the moment, I have to ask one of you."

"I don't know, Ozpin." Yang said, scratching the back of her head. "That guy, forgot his name, he's a little… I don't know, creepy?"

A elbow made its way to her gut, Ruby looking panicked. Yang let out a breath, glaring at her younger sister. "Yang!"

"What!? It's true! Not only that, he lied to you about his powers! It's not Magic, it's his Semblance!" Yang yelled, irritated by the way her sister was acting. "He's just a filthy conman, trying to trick you into making you believe what isn't real!"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, if I were you." A voice said, startling Yang. Turning to Ozpin, she watched as the boy in question stepped out around him, his eyes narrowed, glaring in distaste. "I don't mind you not believing in Magic, but I cannot stand being called a cheat."

"Really!?" Yang asked, her tone unbelieving as she marched up to the boy. "You lied to my sister about Magic, and when you're caught, you can't even admit you're wrong!"

"I am not a liar!"

"Then prove it!"

"Now, now children, there is no need to fight." Ozpin said, stepping in between Yang and Subaru, one showing their teeth while the other calmly glaring. "Yang Xiao Long, I can understand your doubts of young Subaru's abilities, but I won't permit you to provoke a new member of the school. I can also assure you that he does wield a power that is… out of this world."

"With all due respect, Headmaster, I can't believe that." Yang responded, crossing her arms over her chest. "Magic isn't real, but Aura and Semblance is. This guy could be someone who claims to use Magic, but in reality is just part of his Aura!"

"It is Magic!"

"Then where's the proof!?"

"You want proof?" Subaru asked, gaining the attention of Yang. For a split second, Yang considered backing down, but her Pride wouldn't allow it. This guy had lied to her sister about who he was, and that was something Yang couldn't take lying down.

"Prove it." Yang said, her voice as cold as her eyes. To any normal being, the look in her eyes would have caused a chill to run down their spine. For Subaru, it was comparable to a kid throwing a fit. Subaru would have spit in her direction if they weren't inside, instead he walked up to her, glaring her in the eyes.

"Fine, then hold out your hand." Subaru said, causing Yang to raise an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Just do it." Subaru grounded out, Yang finally budging and doing as he asked. Subaru, grabbing her wrist, closed his eyes and gave a deep breath. Seconds passed in silence as everyone watched, wordlessly confused at what was going on. Yang raised an eyebrow, a smirk making its way to her lips.

"What? Is that a-"

"Shamak."

With that, it was like the lights had been flipped off. Instead of panic like Yang expected to hear, all she heard was nothing. Silence. She pulled back her arm, her eyes widening as she looked around the dark void she resided in. She waved her hands in front of her, the sound of cloth moving being absent as she watched the shadow of her arms move back and forth. Fear gripped her heart as she tried to feel around, yet no matter what she did, her touch felt nonexistent.

"-!" She tried to say, instead coming out as a nonexistent gasp. She grabbed her head, her ears ringing due to the overflowing silence of the world. She tried to breath, yet couldn't as she choked on her own breath. She couldn't tell what was going on anymore. If she was standing, laying down, or even moving. Yang couldn't even tell that her eyes were open.

"I think that's enough of that." Ozpin said, being the first sound she was able to hear. With a gasp, Yang opened her eyes, the light of the sun that filtered in through the Windows blinding her. Sitting up, she could feel the sweat across her body, her eyes darting around in panic. The worried faces of her friends greeted her, all not saying a word as she took in deep gulps of air.

"Yang? Are you alright?" Ruby asked, making her way to her frightened sister. As she reached out a hand to the prime Blonde, Yang slapped it away, startling Ruby. From the looks of it, Yang hadn't meant to do that, as she reached out to Ruby, before drawing back. Getting up, she hugged herself, not wanting to look Ruby in the eyes.

"I-I'm fine." Yang said, her words carrying no reassurances to the Teams gathered. She ignored that, and headed for one of the entrance of the lobby, avoiding the gazes of all gathered. "I just… need a breather. I'll see you guys in class."

"Ah, Yang , wait!" Ruby said, trailing after her sister worriedly. As the sisters left the group's field of vision, all looked to each other worriedly. No words were exchanged, but all knew what was on the others mind.

"What the hell was that?" Weiss asked, eyes narrowed towards Subaru, who was uncaring of what had just happened. "What did you do to Yang, you jerk."

"Jerk?" Subaru repeated, not really caring what he was called, but annoyed nonetheless. "How am I the jerk here? I merely showed her Magic, and she freaked out over it."

"Even so, I think you went too far."

"I don't care how far you think I went. I showed her exactly what she wanted, so she has no right to complain."

"I believe that's enough." Ozpin said, his tone taking on a dangerous edge. Everyone, including Subaru, froze as the temperature took a dangerous dip. Ozpin waited a second before speaking up, locking eyes with Subaru. "Subaru, as I said with Yang Xiao Long, I understand your situation, but I will not condone provoking other students."

"Y-yes Headmaster." Subaru stuttered, doing his best to remain calm. Again, Ozpin was able to make Subaru visibly nervous. Again, Subaru was angered by the reaction caused by such few words. Ozpin looked around, sighing before pinching the bridge of his nose. This was not how he wanted this meet up to go down. It may even put a dent in his plans.

"I am sorry, Team RWBY, JNPR, but I understand if you reject my request, but would one of you kindly escort Subaru around later? And show him to his classes?" Ozpin asked, hoping that maybe, with some slight pleading, they would ignore what they just saw in favor of listening to him. However, as he looked upon the expressions of both the Teams, he gained his answer.

"I will!" A over excited voice spoke up, startling Ozpin. Turning around, the familiar face of one Sun Wukong, followed by a Blue Haired boy, walked into the lobby.

"No!" Subaru said, waving his hand to the side, as if rejecting the idea physically. "I am not going to hang out with you again! How many freaking bars do we have to go to until you realize that you can't help starting fights!?"

"Hey! Hey! Don't say that!" Sun said, wrapping his arm around Subaru, who glared venomously at the blonde Faunus. Sun leaned in, his eyes half-lidded, "Subaru, dude, you need to be quiet about that! The bars didn't care how old we were, but the Headmaster and some of the others here might!"

"Like I care! You tricked me into walking through a Forrest!" Subaru whisper-yelled back, anger over the last series of loops coming into play. "Do you know how painful that was!? I had to walk for hours, then fight in a stupid initiation! I have never fought so many days in a row!"

"Haha… wait, you actually fell for that!?" Sun asked, pulling back so all could hear, JNPR and Weiss not understanding what was going on. Blake nodded, remembering the story Sun had told her, finally coming to believe such tales. Subaru shrugged off Sun, glaring at the Faunus.

"Of course I fell for that!? What did you think I would do, assume I could take an airship here!?"

"Well, yeah! Airships come and go, like, four times a day! It's like a freaking bus here!" Sun laughed, scratching the back of his head as Subaru felt like stomping on the ground, going on a rant. He stopped himself however, as that was something Regulus would do, not him.

"Ah! Sun Wukong, would you mind escorting Subaru around the campus, and showing him to his classes?" Ozpin asked, a last ditch effort to ensure Subaru had a partner for the rest of the day. Sun looked up at Ozpin, unflinching under the older man's gaze. Sun had a look of confusion, before giving a thoughtless shrug.

"Eh, sure, why not?" Sun said, causing Ozpin to sigh in relief.

"Oh, great. Here, this file contains the classes for Subaru. Be sure to show guide him there." Ozpin said, taking out his scroll, as did Sun. Subaru curiously watched as they tapped the two devices together, both flashing red before being overtaken by a bright green. With that, Ozpin withdrew his scroll, yielding his device to his pocket. Sun, instead, opened it, images flashing through.

"Woah! Subaru, almost all of our classes are together!" Sun said, causing Subaru to internally groan. It wasn't like he disliked Sun, but his hyperactive personality was just… troublesome to deal with.

"Now that that's settle with, I must take my leave." Ozpin announced, nodding his head to his students. "Subaru, I welcome you to Beacon Academy, and I hope you enjoy your stay. I expect a great many things from you."

With that, Ozpin disappeared from sight.

An uncomfortable silence overtook the room; Subaru, Weiss, Blake and JNPR all looking between each other, none willing to break the ice that had formed between them with what happened to Yang. Suns eyes darted around, confused as the usually cheery group silenced themselves. Almost a full minute passed before Sun groaned, sparking a flame in the icy atmosphere.

"Why the heck are you guys all silent!? It's really killing the mood!" Sun complained, causing Blake to look up at him, her eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Says the guy ruining the mood. Can't you tell we're all brooding here?"

"Why the heck would you do that!? Lobbies are meant to fun! Where everyone can chat and let loose!"

"Also, Why're you here?" Jaune spoke up, wondering why an exchange student was in a Beacon students dormitory. That, and his complex against Neptune taking hold.

"Cause I couldn't find Blake in her room, so I came here! Went through the window and everything!"

"Wait, what!? You went through our window!" Weiss all but screeched, Sun realizing too late what he said. Sweat dribbled down his cheek as both Weiss and Blake's eyes narrowed, a dark aura overtaking them.

"W-Wait! What I meant to say was-"

With that, Subaru's mind faded out, uncaring for the fate of Sun Wukong. While it was true he may have found some enjoyment in Suns demise, his prank having angered him, Subaru was unwilling to partake in Wrath. Until the day she died and he gained her powers, Subaru was unwilling to act in such a way. Even then, he didn't have any desire to become the insane woman that she was. Even if he did have a plan to kill her and the rest of the Cult.

Pride was tactful, not impulsive. Pride was observant, not intelligent. Pride was loyal, not to the Witch, but to himself. Even then, Pride couldn't help but think, with all the things that have went on these past few days. What now? Where was this heading? Why hadn't the Gospel updated? What is the meaning of Ruby Rose and who was the one he was destined to find? Was their even a destined one, or is she just a catalyst for his desire?

What exactly was his desire?

* * *

Beacon Academy

Classroom

First Period

In the short life of Natsuki Subaru, he had been witness to many spectacular things. Magic that would make gods tremble, powers that would make the most humblest of men jealous, and sights that would cause adventurers mouths to water. Of course, not all of these were as grand as they seemed. Families torn asunder, villages raised from the ground up, and a revolution that would put ordinary war to shame. Subaru been witness to what most would hope to do in a full life, in his seventeen years of existence.

However, he had never heard of dust.

Dust. A material made of rock and dirt, both lightweight, yet extremely dangerous. A stone that, although small, could produce a multitude of effects ranging from burning the air itself, to freezing the ground as if it had experienced a blizzard. To the residents of Remnant, Dust was the key to most of their technology. Lightning powering their airships. Fire lighting their streets. Ice keeping their food cold. Earth forming their dams. Wind cutting their trees. Without Dust, Remnant would have fallen eons ago.

In fact, without Dust, Humanity wouldn't have existed.

The legends go, that from Dust, Man was born. Wielding its power to fight their undying enemy, the Creatures of Grimm. That from the first days of their existence, Dust had been the source of all preservation. Take that away, and humanity would fall.

"That's about how it goes, right?" Subaru asked, turning to Sun and Neptune, both wearing rather weird expressions on their face.

"Uh, yeah, but…" Neptune said, twirling a pencil in his hand, looking kind of off put. With a sigh, he motioned a hand at Subaru. "Subaru, why did you word it like that?"

"Huh?" Subaru hummed, confused. At the astonished look by Sun, Subaru decided to dig deeper. There was no way he said something wrong, right? "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"Well, not really, no." Sun said, scratching the back of his head while looking to the side. "It's just, you worded it really weirdly. Like you were speaking to an audience, or giving a lecture. Even did the 'Without Dust, Humanity would Fall' thing."

"What? Aren't I speaking to an audience?" Subaru said, motioning towards Sun and Neptune, who looked away. "I think you're just being picky on how I word things. That's pretty petty of you."

"What!? What're you talking about!" Sun scoffed, looking to the side. A glint caught his eyes as he spotted a familiar set of Green and Red hair, which he frantically stood up at, waving his hand back and forth. "Scarlet! Sage! Where have you two been!? We've been here for like, thirty minutes!"

"Sorry, we were cleaning up the mess you and Neptune left in our dorm." Scarlet responded, not really caring much that he had to clean. Sage sneered, flashing his teeth at Sun.

"You need to start picking up after yourself, Sun." Sage said, taking his seat next to the two Vacuo students. Sun didn't pay Sage much mind, laughing off his words as if they were in jest.

"I get you dude, and thank you! But anyways! Look who I brought with me today!" Sun said, wrapping a arm around Subaru, who looked mildly disgruntled. "This, my fabulous Team SSSN, is my pal, Natsuki Subaru!"

"Wait, you mean the Faunus hater?" Scarlet asked, causing Sun to nervously chuckle, Subaru glaring at the taller individual. Suns eyes widened as he wordlessly made a 'be quiet' motion. It didn't work however, as Subaru used his Claws to remove Suns arm from himself.

"I am not a Faunus hater, I hate Half-Breeds and the White Fang. I don't trust the Faunus, but I don't trust anybody I don't know personally. So, I'm not sure if I could be considered a racist." Subaru said, sitting down. Team SSSN all shared a look, before a collective shrug was given. Scarlet was mostly joking, but it appeared that Subaru didn't catch on.

"Well, anyways, guys! I have som-"

"What do you mean you're going to take another day off!" A girlish yell reverberated through the room, causing everyone to look in the direction of the scream. From what Subaru could tell, the voice belonged to that of a short girl, her attire consisting of, strangely enough, military clothing. A Blue hat, white shirt and sapphire skirt. She marched into the class, holding her scroll up to her ear, a furious look settled on her face. "No! Of course I'm angry! You're setting a horrible example for Atlas!... I don't care! You are a representative for not only Atlas, but General Ironwood himself! I won't have our team name… Penny? Oh you better not have hung up!"

Subaru watched this curiously. Was this one of Ironwoods subordinates? Subaru would have to keep a tab on her, as any friend if Ozpin, could potentially be an enemy of his one day. Actually, that could go for everyone within the school. Subaru covered his mouth as he contemplated the idea of him having to cut through everyone in the school. That would be a rough day indeed.

Team SSSN looked at each other, each giving a shrug before Sun himself gave a sigh. With a huff, he sat forward, thinking hard on his next choice of words. It wasn't easy talking to this girl, especially since her attitude always contradicted his own. While he was laid back, she was more strict, always being a stickler for time and the likes.

"Hey! Ciel!" Sun called, grabbing the Atlas girls attention. At the call, her head snapped, a sneer marring her face, causing the boys to flinch. Sun gulped, swallowing his fear of the girl. "What's going on? Is Penny okay!?"

"She's fine! It's none of your business!" Ciel said, stomping to the very front of the seats, her hands flying through her scroll. The whole of Team SSSN flinched, her attitude making the 'hot' group nervous.

"Worried?" Sun asked, to which the group all agreed with. Wearily sighing, Sun turned to Sage. "Hey, Sage, wanna take one for the team?"

"Huh? Why me!?" Sage asked, making Neptune scoff.

"Have you seen yourselves? You and Ciel get along great!" Neptune claimed, exaggerating his movements. "You two are like two peas in a pod, like Salt and Pepper, like fish and chips-"

"And peanut butter and Jelly!"

"That too!" Neptune agreed, Sun fist pumping at his use of the words. Neptune looked Sage in the eyes, who had trouble keeping concentration. "Dude, go to her."

"I-I-" A hand on his shoulder stopped him. Looking over, Sage took in the sight of Scarlet, shaking his head back and forth.

"Go to her." Scarlet said, causing Sage to hesitate. Closing his eyes, and shaking his head, he stood up, determination scribbled on his face.

"You're right!" Sage said, making a b-line for the Atlas personnel. Team SSSN snickered, exchanging high fives under the table. In reality, Sage's more laid back personality was a stark contrast to Ciel's militaristic attitude. The chances of those two working it out were extremely slim.

This was one glorified prank.

"Sun, who's Penny?" Subaru asked, his eyes watching Sun's face, who was doing his best to repress a grin. Sun glanced over at Subaru, before returning his eyes to the conversation down below. It was not going that great, which was great for the rest of Team SSSN.

"Penny? She's that girls teammate. Really nice person, if a little quirky. She's been absent for two days now, and Ciel down there is a stickler for time and presentation and all that." As soon as Sun said that, a loud, unintelligible yell resounding through the room. "She isn't normally like that, and we're just guessing here, but she's worried for Penny."

"Oh." Subaru didn't know how else to respond. It wasn't like he cared for the plight of others, except those he cared for. Made him wonder how Regulus was doing. While they weren't the greatest of friends, and there had been plenty of times when they had tried to kill each other, Regulus was still a friend.

At least more so than the rest of the Cult.

Betelgeuse was a self harming maniac. He was easy enough to deal with; Every time he was questioned by Betelgeuse, all he had to say was 'The Witch told me to' or something along the lines. Capella was just unbearable to be around, even if she claimed that he was moderately okay for her tastes. Gluttony was difficult to talk to, as each time he even went near them they tried to eat him. Wrath… well, after seeing who she was, they weren't on the greatest of terms. Especially since he had killed Bete previous body. She was definitely not happy.

Subaru watched Team SSSN, who were laughing at Sage, a red mark in the shape of a handprint on his face. Subaru leaned on his hand, silently wondering, did he even need friends? He could easily get what he wanted by manipulating anyone. Say Penny for example. If she was in a distraught enough state, Subaru could easily go in, manipulate her into thinking he was a friend, and he would have a pawn when the school finally goes against him.

Yet that wasn't the question, nor answer. Did he need any friends? People to talk to. People to laugh with. People to lean on when in times of need. The memories of the adventures of Regulus and him filtered through Subaru's mind. A small smile made its way to his face, one that managed to reach his eyes; maybe he did need friends.

A sudden crash drew him out of his stupor, a cloud of smoke filtering in through the open doorway. Covering his mouth, Subaru coughed out mouthfuls of the black dust, before it all cleared as a gust of wind blew it all out the door.

What Subaru felt wasn't amazement, like some would think, but fear. His blood ran cold, as a familiar set of Pink hair grinned at him, her hands holding tens of needles. Her eyes carried a dangerous glint, one promising pain just for him.

"Welcome to First Period, Natsuki Subaru!" Professor Peach, the local Dust expert, said as she tightened the grip on her needles.

* * *

Beacon Academy

Fourth Period

Fight Class was a strange tradition in the eyes of Subaru. While he could get behind the idea that experience was better than learning through words, the problem laid in what the students were learning. From his knowledge, Huntsmen were trained to hunt Grimm, the Creatures of Remnant, and protect the majority. Then why was it that, when they stood on the brink of annihilation, that they trained their students to fight each other?

Was there something Ozpin wasn't telling them, or was this just a game for them?

"I think you're over thinking it." Ruby said, taking her seat next to Subaru, waving at him in a greeting manner. Subaru raised an eyebrow at this; he really needed to stop thinking out loud. "Yeah, you do."

"Crap." Subaru said, causing Ruby to chuckle. "So, what're you doing over here? Won't your teammates be worried?"

"Yeah, they are." Ruby said, waving at the Black and White duo across the room, who didn't take their eyes off of them. Not even to watch the fight down below. Ruby sighed, her smile not leaving her face. "So, how was your first day so far?"

"Horrifying." Subaru shivered, the image of the mad scientist known as Peach chasing him down engraved in his mind. "Team SSSN showed me to my classes. Apparently I'm gonna be dragged around after school so they can show off the campus." Subaru paused, giving Ruby the chance to speak, yet she didn't. Instead, she hummed, signaling that she was listening. Subaru knew this behavior. It was the same method used by the maids where he used to work at. A sign that he was in trouble. Sighing, Subaru leaned over, placing his elbow on his knee, relaxing his face upon his hand. "Why are you here?"

"To talk about my sister." Ruby said, her voice low. She didn't look all that dangerous, no matter how much she tried, but even Subaru knew not to judge a book by its cover. Meili was a perfect example of this.

"The blonde one? Is she alright?" Subaru didn't care if she was alright, but Ruby didn't need to know that. Her face softened at his words, doing its intended job perfectly.

"She's fine. Took the day off though." Ruby said, Subaru acting out a sigh of relief. Her gaze softened even more. This girl was too easy to manipulate. Subaru almost felt bad, but that feeling washed away relatively quickly. It wasn't like he was tricking her into poisoning a Knight of Lugnica, or brainwashing her into believing he was someone dear to her heart.

"So, you're not mad?"

"Oh, I'm furious." Ruby said, glaring at Subaru. Ouch, shouldn't have said that. "But I'm not stupid. Yang was the one who started it, and you only did what she asked, but that doesn't mean I can't be mad at you. I just want to know, what exactly did you do?"

"You mean my magic?" Subaru asked, holding his hand to his face.

"That was Magic? But what about your Claws? And… claws?"

"Those Claws are something completely different. I sorta stole that from somebody else." Subaru shrugged, Ruby looking at him confused. Of course she wouldn't understand, Subaru sighed. "Ignore that last part. Anyways, those Claws aren't Magic. They're sort of like a… gift. Like your Semblance, but Magic Users are born with it."

"Wait!? So all Magic Users have those freaky Claws!?" Ruby asked, her eyes sparkling with glee, a complete one-eighty to how she was acting previously. Subaru smiled, at least he didn't have to act for this.

"No; do you know what Divine Protections are?" Subaru asked, Ruby shaking her head in response. That should have been a no brainer. Ruby didn't know about Magic, so she couldn't possibly know about Divine Protections. "Well, I guess that's to be expected. Divine Protections are… Hmm. I guess you could say gifts from the Gods. Almost everyone receives one, and a lucky few are granted two. There are millions of Divine Protections, all doing different things. Some allow Magic Users complete mastery over certain types of Magic. Some grant the User The ability to talk to animals, in other words communicate with every language known to Remnant and beyond. Another lets them see through the eyes of animals and people alike. Hell, there's even a Divine Protection that allows the user to ask for more Divine Protections!"

"So that Claw is a Divine Protection?"

"No, this is someone else's. I just took it." 'By killing them' Subaru finished that thought to himself. "I wasn't born with a Divine Protection. Someone gave me theirs."

"Wait, so people can give each other their powers!"

"No… well, actually, I don't know. Nobody has ever tried, from what I know. I doubt it though. The person who gave me their powers was someone who had the power to give out more. I think. I don't know her that well."

"Then why did she give you that power?"

"That's a good question." Subaru agreed. In all the years Subaru had been in the Cult, not once had that question been answered. Betelgeuse would claim it was her undying love, but kill you since she loved you. Capella would ask why he would even care. Regulus just gave a shrug.

Nobody had an answer to that.

"Anyways, I have to go back to Blake and Weiss before they come drag me over. It was fun, Subaru, and I hope you enjoy Beacon!" Ruby said, getting up and leaving. Subaru waved at her, his smile slowly fading as he gazed at the fight. So even the innocent Ruby could get mad…

Seriously, these fights were amazing.

* * *

Beacon Academy

Cafeteria

Thursday

"What… what is this!" Subaru asked, doing his best to stop from moaning in ecstasy. The flavor of the white cream rolling off his tongue. The texture, thick yet soft, coating his mouth in a shroud of snow white. Swallowing, he couldn't stop the breath of pleasure that escaped his mouth as ate more of the delicious cream.

"Um, that's mayonnaise." Scarlet said, looking more than a little perturbed by the expression the Archbishop was making. In the time Scarlet had gotten to know Subaru, he learned that the guy rarely showed a genuine smile, or positive emotion. So when he started eating the white condiment, moaning and groaning in pleasure, he couldn't help but be more than a little creeped out.

"Please, dude, stop that." Neptune pleaded, distancing himself from Subaru. A look of disgust crossed his face as Subaru grabbed the jar of mayonnaise, scraping the insides out on his plate. It didn't end there, unfortunately, as Subaru started devouring the condiment whole. Neptune covered his mouth, his cheeks puffing in disgust. "I think I'm gonna hurl!"

"Neptune! Don't! It will ruin your image!" Scarlet said, trying to save his comrade. Another look at Subaru though changed his mind, as he got up and ran, heading for the nearest restroom along with Neptune. Sage watched Subaru, eating his sandwich in peace. Along with Neptune and Scarlet, Sage found it a disgusting sight, but didn't let it bother him. He had seen worse sights in his life, and knee how to handle a disturbed stomach.

"This is so go~od!" Subaru moaned, laying his head on the table, a visage of ecstasy marring his face. It had been years since anything had tasted as good as the white condiment that sat on the table. The World Above didn't have anything that even remotely taste as fine as that of Remnants luxuries.

Sure, there had been similarities that Subaru had noticed. Baked Potatoes, Steak (although Remnants was juicier), and eggs, but that had been about it. It seemed that Remnant, even in its state of constant unrest with the threat of Grimm, had found a way to make use of culinary craft. Or at least expand on it in ways The World Above hadn't. 'Guess it shouldn't be a surprise, as Remnant is decades ahead of The World Above in terms of Technology.'

A tap on his shoulder startled Subaru out of his trance. Turning to the offending hand, Subaru was surprised to see a familiar set of blonde hair. Not happy, but surprised. She locked her hands behind her back in an attempt to calm her quivering hands, but Subaru was able to see right though it. While he wasn't able to read the atmosphere very well, the way her face twitched was enough to tell him that she didn't exactly want to be there.

"Hey, Subaru, can you come with me?" Yang asked, gritting her teeth all the while. Subaru's immediate reaction was to decline her, even going so far as say some colorful words, but stopped himself. As impulsive as he was, Subaru could tell Yang was at least trying, with whatever she was attempting to do. Looking back to Sage, as if asking for advice, Sage could only offer a clueless shrug. With a sigh, Subaru stood up.

"Sure. I'll be back, Sage." Subaru said, Sage wordlessly waving him off as he chewed on his sandwich.

Subaru followed Yang silently. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Team RWBY and Team JNPR (as he learned from Sun) warily watch them, Sun himself sitting next to the dark haired girl. Subaru couldn't help but think that Sun had something to do with Yang's behavior. Maybe even Ruby herself, as it was obvious by the way she was chewing her nails were any indication.

Exiting the cafeteria, Subaru could see a multitude of students littering the campus. Some sat on the ground, chatting or playing cards. Some stood, flexing to the girls in a vain attempt to woe them. Subaru personally didn't like that. While his body wasn't in what you would say a fragile or ripped state, it was far from being unfit. In fact, Subaru could probably be the most fit student on campus. If not that, then the most experienced, seeing as he was quite literally apart of a Cult that took a extremely radical view on things.

"Not here." Yang said, Subaru nodding. If she wanted to drag him out of the cafeteria, then that meant she wanted to talk to him. Alone. A public spot like this wouldn't be an ideal place to do that.

This made him wonder what she was going to do. She didn't seem the type to lead him in a stray alleyway just to attack him. Maybe challenge him to a fight, but set up an ambush like that? No, he expected something like that out of the Cult, not one of Beacons students.

"Ah! That's perfect!" Yang cheerily said, picking up the pace. Subaru followed her, confused in her rise in speed, before seeing what she meant. In the corner of one of the buildings, a large open area sat. Benches and the like sat all around, but no one could visibly be seen for a wide margin. A perfect area to relax, or in this case, chat in private.

Making their way to the middle of the vacant area, Yang came to a sudden stop, Subaru almost running into her. Backing up, Subaru gave her space, as her hands still shook, even with the minutes of silence that he gave her. Minutes passed before her silence started to gain his ire. He could be eating more mayonnaise right now.

"Is there something you need?" Subaru asked, crossing his arms as he tapped his foot impatiently. His waist cloak fluttered, the torn edges moving back and forth with his movements. He could see Yang give out a heave breath, balling her hands into fists. She violently turned, and for a split second, Subaru thought he judged Yang wrong, her fist flying to his face with great speed. However, that was just his imagination, as in reality, she turned, straightening her body, and gazing into his eyes.

"I'm sorry!" Yang yelled, her cheeks as red as roses. Subaru lowered his raised arm, his wide eyes expressing how out of nowhere the words were to him.

"What?" Subaru asked, more out of surprise than anything. Yang's beat white hands tightened even more, embarrassment visible on her open expression.

"I said I'm sorry!" Yang repeated. Closing her eyes, she took in deep breaths to calm herself, before her fiery gaze settled back on his hazel eyes. "Look, I'm not that great with apologies, so bare with me here. I admit, what I said on Tuesday was extremely rude. I mean, I don't want to take it back, cause that's what I thought you were; a conman. A conman that was going after my sister." Yang looked away, biting her lip. "What you did… I'm not angry about that. You proved that you have supernatural powers, which I still think is your Semblance, which your entitled to call whatever you want…" Yang stopped, before sighing. "Look, I'm not good with apologies. I'm sorry for provoking you, and all that." Yang held out a hand, one that Subaru cautiously looked at. "Wanna start over?"

Subaru stared at the offered hand, not immediately reaching out for it. Subaru should have just agreed and got it over with, but it didn't feel right. Thinking on a more pessimistic side of things, if Subaru accepted and played his cards right, he could even wipe some Hunters off the school, via mind tricks, but that also didn't feel right. What Yang had proposed felt genuine, something that came straight from the heart. To decline, or even corrupt, what she was trying to do felt… disgusting. With a sigh, Subaru reached out his hand, grabbing hers firmly.

"You terribly suck at apologies." Subaru started, smiling as Yang's eyes narrowed. "You accused me of being something I'm not, and even provoked me to go overboard on my powers. I hate that you did that, but I understand where you're coming from. If I were in your position, I'd probably do the same." Subaru said, expressing his understanding. Nobody could truthfully claim Subaru didn't feel empathetic for those around him. In actuality, he was probably one of the most empathetic person out there. When he killed, he specifically made sure that those who died passed on swiftly. He knew how it felt to die, to feel pain, and lose those loved ones. That's probably the only good quality Natsuki Subaru saw in himself. "So, let's restart." Subaru said, releasing Yang's hand. Stepping back, he put his right hand on his chest, the left behind his back, left foot forward and right back, giving a deep bow. This was just one of the many things he learned as a Butler. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my name is Natsuki Subaru. I am glad to make your acquaintance."

"Okay, first, stop. That's seriously creepy." Yang half joked, her words carrying half truths. Subaru had a gaze that couldn't help but creep her out, so him acting polite like this just added to the creep factor. Chuckling, she waved off Subaru's greeting. "My names Yang Xiao Long. Nice to meet'cha!"

* * *

Beacon Academy

Friday

After School

"Catch ya later, Subaru!" Ruby called, waving at the boy as she caught up to her team, Subaru loosing sight of them as they turned the corner, the halls engulfing them, naught to be seen again. Subaru's smile didn't drop however, as even with RWBY's presence absent, the warmth they left still lingered.

It was an odd feeling. Subaru never expected to make connections as quickly as he had. It might have been due to his constant ties to the Cult, the negativity of such a place being suffocating, but this rush of positivity and optimism being… refreshing. It felt nice.

Opening the door to his Dorm room, he couldn't help but think of his Desire once more. Flipping the switch of the lights, he pulled out his Gospel again, flipping to the last entry. His hope for a new message beeping unbound, even to go so far as to say desired. Hope clouded his heart, the last page coming to sight. Yet once more, disappointment took hold, as the same verse read aloud again.

"What the f #$!" Subaru yelled, throwing the Gospel to the ground in a fit of rage. Bringing back his leg, he gave a sharp kick to the accursed book. He walked over, stomping on the Gospel. "I've diligently followed every instruction, every command you have ever given me, Witch! Yet now, when I practically beg for your help and understanding, you forsake me! I joined this damn Cult to get stronger! To be guided in the right direction! Then what!? You give me this stupid poem, sick me on some Silver Eyed girl, and expect me to gain a desire I never even wanted!? I am strong! I have sacrificed so much for this stupid Cult and you want more!? What now!? Kill a village of kids!? Of infants or the elderly!? What now!? Answer me, Witch!"

Subaru continued to stomp on his Gospel, incoherent rage bubbling out of his mouth. Words that he didn't even realize he was saying, spilling out like a river of curses. Yet the Witch didn't respond. There was no new entry. No new command or sign of provocation like Subaru had hoped. Just silence. Even the Witch's hand would have felt good right now, as that would be a sign she was listening, yet nothing came. Only silence. Subaru's rage took control.

Grabbing the Gospel, Subaru went to one of the desks in the room, opening the drawer in haste. During the days that his roommate, that Subaru had yet to meet, had been absent, Subaru had taken it upon himself to scavenge through the room. Surprisingly, a lighter had been in the drawer, a piece of Technology Subaru actually knew of. With a swipe and a flick, Subaru held the Gospel under the fire of the lighter, its brilliant light casting shadows on his face.

No response was given by the Witch. This served to only anger Subaru even more, yet instead of lighting the Gospel aflame, he slammed it down on the desk, unable to bring himself to burn it. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but it was because it was fear itself that stopped him. Fear to what would come. Would the Witch take away his abilities? Would he die permanently, never to be able to rewrite his mistakes? What would happen once he angered such a god?

Would his soul even survive the wrath of the Jealous Witch?

A series of knocks shook him out of his fear. Gazing at the door, the knocks continued, before Subaru, shaking, went to the door, opening it just a smidge. Just enough for him to see who it was.

"Jaune?" Subaru asked, recognizing the Knight. Subaru didn't know Jaune as well as he did Sun or Ruby, but he did recognize him. The poor boy was probably the weakest of the school, even though his determination was immeasurable. Even Subaru could tell that he was doing his best, even if it was pitiful. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I heard you yelling and I got a little worried is all." Jaune admitted, looking past Subaru into his room, which Subaru blocked sight of. "Is everything okay in there?"

"Yeah, I'm just going through something personal." Subaru said, leaning on the doorway, trying his best to act nonchalant. If Jaune picked up on this, he didn't say anything, instead trying to look into the dorm.

"Are you sure you're okay? You sounded really angry in there. If you need any help, I can help out, you know."

"Thank you, but I have to decline. This is something personal, and I don't wanna drag those I barely know into this." Subaru truthfully said. Even if he knew Jaune or anybody on campus on a personal level, he'd be hard pressed to drag them into his problems. While he didn't mind using the likes of Regulus or Purpura for the sake of survival, dragging in inexperienced combatants, who could potentially jeopardize a plan, would be a horrible mistake.

"Well, if you say so." Jaune said, awkwardly looking to the side. "Well, uh, if you need us, we'll be in our rooms. Night!"

"Goodnight." Subaru replied, slamming the door shut. His eyes immediately darted to the Gospel, not leaving it for a second. Instead of opening it however, Subaru ignored it, heading to bed. Removing his clothes, he only left his necklace and undergarments on, tucking himself tightly into bed. He was lucky that he didn't have a roommate yet.

But as he drifted to sleep, Subaru couldn't help but think, one last time, what his Desire was. Why was it so important for him to stick close to Ruby and this school? Why did the Witch, even with all the provoking he did, not threaten him once?

Memories of the past week filtered through his mind. The rough first meeting between him and Teams RWBY and JNPR. The insane woman known as Professor Peach. The pranks Team SSSN pulled on each other. The talk with Ruby about Magic. The apology from Yang Xiao Long and his proper introduction to her Team. After that, it all seemed surreal. It wasn't a great time, but it was memorable. A sort of peace that couldn't be attained within the Cult.

Maybe this was what he desired? To be at peace, and to chat with those his age. Maybe, just maybe, his time here wouldn't be wasted.

With that, Subaru fell into blissful sleep.

* * *

Beacon Academy

Hospital

Tuesday

He breathed. The sound of Oxygen entering his lungs and Carbon exiting filled the silent room with sound. Lazily, he opened his crust filled eyes, the pale white of the ceiling being the first thing he had seen in a day. He didn't panic, as he recognized the same pattern as he had seen days prior.

Sitting up, Subaru took in his surroundings. White beds lined the room, an electronic light filling the room with a brilliant fire. It was of Remnants making, the electricity sizzling as the glass burned heavily.

"Wait… what?" Subaru asked himself, slowly coming out of his dazed state. Rubbing his eyes, he couldn't help the feeling of dread fill his heart as he slipped out of bed, the necklace he normally wore to sleep sitting on a pile of Cult clothes. Grabbing the necklace, he watched it swing back and forth before wrapping it around his neck, as with donning the rest of his clothes.

"No, no, no, no." Subaru repeated like a worn out mantra. Fear gripped his heart, as he hastily made his way to the door, forgetting his boots. Gripping the door knob with his right hand, two familiar pains rid its way through his body. The one in his right shoulder from the fight with Fox, and the one on his nose, the door swinging open and pounding him in the face.

"Crap! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" The familiar voice of one Professor Peach said, holding out her hand in offering once more. Subaru stared at it, wordlessly opening and closing his mouth in shock, sweat trickling down his face as the same exact scenario played out once more. Peach raised an eyebrow, worry across her face. "Hey, are you okay? You look really unwell."

Subaru didn't answer, instead holding his hand to his face, his hands shaking in fear. 'This can't be happening. Not again. Not again! NOT AGAIN!'

With that, Subaru fled the hospital, fear of the unknown killer that lurked within Beacons very own grounds.

* * *

Character Bio

 **Aura User: Peach AKA Professor Peach**

 **Semblance: Time Distortion**

 **Agility: A**

 **Durability: D**

 **Endurance: C**

 **Strength: A**

 **Speed: B**

 **Intelligence: A**

Peach, one of Beacons most trusted and respected staff members, wasn't always the cheery and happy-go-lucky individual she is today. Once upon a time, she was a sad and lonely child, yearning for nothing more than to reverse the things she had done. This translated heavily to her Semblance, as she gained the ability to travel forward and backwards through time.

At least, that's how it looks. In reality, all she really is able to do is reverse the effects and forward her own body to one point in time. The ability to heal wounds that'd normally be fatal, or speed up effects of a poison being a great help in the medical field.

Of course, with every positive there's a negative. Peach is unable to reverse the effects of someone's state once they fall unconscious, and is unable to go further than that. Also, whatever wound she heals, be it fatal or otherwise, causes the affected area to be deformed. This causes some patients to decline her help.

Note, she's a extremely dangerous combatant. Make sure to rid her as soon as possible. The Breach might be a perfect time for this.

* * *

World of Remnant: The Witch Cult

Oh, so you're curious about this group? Well, let me tell you one thing before we continue; Do. Not. Mess. With. Them.

This is a group nobody should involve themselves with, especially you kids. You think the Grimm are bad? If the Cult gets what they want, not only will Humanity be killed, so will everything else. Plants, animals, and that stupid mountain over there. Gone.

They burn villages, kill kids, and don't flinch an eye at killing their loved ones. No one knows what they think, or how they think. But we do know their goal- to release the Witch of Envy, Satella.

No one knows how they move. No one knows who leads them. No one knows where they come from. What we do know? They need to be wiped out.

* * *

Story Rant

 **There's not much to say. Again. Except that I personally hate this chapter. Casual chit chat isn't my forte, and that really shows this chapter. I hate padding, and that shows in this chapter. I feel like I rushed it too, which I need to remedy.**

 **It's weird, Re:Zero's whole story is one guy going back over and over again, but somehow they make it so it doesn't feel like it's padding anything. Actually, each loop had meaning, and developed the characters in ways we wouldn't see in a single loop. That's where I have trouble.**

 **I enjoy meaningful dialogue, and I think that shows a little too much in this story. I've been throwing information left and right, but I need to learn to calm down with that. I think I did good with that this chapter, as I only referenced two important things. What's going on with Penny, and setting up this Arc, with the killer and all.**

 **So, I guess I should point out something else too. I think I kept overly pointing out how Subaru would 'manipulate' others to do what he wanted. That isn't inherently true. Subaru will manipulate others, but only if it makes sense. Let's use the Dark Lord IF as an example. He manipulated Ferris because he had an OP healing power. Subaru could lose a limb, get it reattached, and continue fighting. Everyone on Beacon? Useless. With enough loops, Subaru could kill every single one on campus. Unless the character has a specific task Subaru needs done, then Subaru won't manipulate. This'll become prevalent in Arc 3, where he gains a powerful pawn to use against his enemies.**

 **I also want to point out another thing. As time goes on, Subaru will have a tough time trying to manipulate others. Not because he's unable to, but because of a personality change. He'll start to care for the main cast, and would go back in time so they don't die. Heck, that's what this Arc is technically supposed to do, as if he were to find out the killers identity in this point in time, they'll be dead. A little bit of a spoiler, that'll change. He won't be able to bring himself to do it.**

 **This Arc is also to set up a later Arc, and give one of the lesser developed characters some development.**

 **I think that's about it. Please, feedback is much appreciated.**

* * *

Personal Rant

 **Ugh, I went through so much crap to get this done. I dealt with family. I argued with friends. And one of them gave me advice on what to do, even though she keeps saying I'm the better writer. Psh! If I was, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction. Thanks though, K!**

 **I also went through some fits if unmotivation. It mostly has to do with the chapter than anything else, but what pushed me through were people following and favoriting this. Thanks guys! Never though I'd see Arc 2. Hope I can see the end of Arc 3 though, cause I think that's my favorite part of the story so far. Besides the Dance Arc and Wrath Arc. But those are so far away, we might not see it for months.**

 **Anyways, hey, I'm looking for a Beta, sorta. I sort of need someone to keep me on track what I write, so there aren't any inconsistencies. Like a fresher pair if eyes for me. Ya know? Or just give me feedback via reviews.**

 **One last thing, new chapter will be short. I'm gonna try to hint at the killer too. This chapter didn't really give hints, but I'll try next chapter. Thanks for stopping by! See ya!**


	7. Betrayal

**Can't tell you how close I was to abandoning this. I gotta thank Timothy-nguyen-73 and _Victormt2live_ for motivating me to continue though! A little review goes a long way to boost my mood!**

 **On A semi-relatable note, how many of you actually read this? The syory I mean. Is it enjoyable, or has it gotten to be boring?**

 **As always, If anyone has any questions or wants to point out things or flaws, I generally respond to all comments down below. Thank you!**

* * *

He ran. He ran until his legs felt weak and limp. He ran until the blood on his shoulder dyed a deep stain into his white clothes. Each step from his fear induced jog sent him into a spiral of agony. Each breath he took caused his already chilled being to shudder in fear and depression. The wound on his shoulder made him hiss in pain, tears trailing down his cheeks as he ran toward the setting Sun, a hazy red blinding him.

It wasn't for the pain that Subaru cried in despair, but for the feeling of betrayal that he felt. The friends, which he thought he had, were no more. All that was left were liars, backstabbers and cheats. He couldn't help but think, why did this always happen? Why did the ones he care for always die, lie and disappear when he needed them most?

He came to a stop, leaning on the bark of a nearby tree. He wiped away the stains the tears left him, taking deep breaths to calm himself. Subaru placed his back against the trunk, slowly sliding until he sat against the rough dirt. Shaking, he raised the knife in his hand, the stainless steel muddled with blood and dirt. No doubt she had to be healed by now. Any second she would appear and kill him. Yet he couldn't bring himself to care about that.

Anguish gripped his heart once more, closing his eyes and biting his lip to steel his heart. With a few choked breaths, the pain receded, leaving him in a calm state of mind. Subaru arms went limp, as he slowly thought of the next course of action. What was there to do now? He had lost everything, again. There was no point in moving forward, for himself or anyone else. His eyes passed over the bloodied steel, the thought of suicide passed through his mind. Yet he couldn't do it.

It was not for the sake of living that Subaru didn't kill himself, but for the sake that he couldn't kill himself. Once he died, time would reset, and the pain of betrayal will start once again. There was no escape, neither in death or life.

Why was he subjected to this hell?

"This is where you hide?" A chill traveled down his spine, the voice of the girl he once trusted making her way out of the forest. The sound of chains rubbing against each other caused him to stiffen; the sound being a reminder of the death he had experienced before. The girls blue hair stuck out against the White and Black scheme of her uniform, more so than her narrowed eyes. "Have you finally given up, or shall I remove any physical way for you to escape."

"You really have some dark humor, huh, Rem?" Subaru jokingly asked, the sneer of disgust making its way to Rem's face sending a bought of sorrow to his heart.

"Do not call me with such a familiar tone, Witch Fiend." Rem spoke calmly, but the rage he felt through her words were still there. "You've encroached upon my home, festering and clouding it with your filth! I can't stand it anymore. I can't stand you invading where I live!"

"I wasn't encroaching anything! I was hired by Roswaal! I was doing my job!" Subaru yelled back, standing up, using the tree as a support. "I thought we were friends Rem… why did you do this?"

Rem didn't respond. The chains of her morning star clanking together one last time before she swung it around with ease. The ball became a blur, a black sphere of chains obscuring anything beyond its wall. Subaru grimaced once again, the phantom pain of the previous loops traveling through him. Grabbing his side, he prepared himself to jump to the side. No matter what, he didn't want to die, even if it seemed hopeless. To Subaru, dying was hell.

"That's enough."

He didn't even need to try however, as torrent of ice descended on the maid. Rem moved fast, dodging and weaving through the rain of ice with some difficulty. One even nicked her shoulder, drawing blood and causing her to let out a help of pain. Even the battle hardened maid was able to express pain, it seemed.

Subaru snapped his head to the direction of the ice pillars, hope gripping his heart once more when the familiar silver hair of the Half-Elf made her way out of the trees. Shards of ice hung over her shoulders, all pointed at Rem. "Emilia!"

Emilia didn't respond verbally, instead glancing at him nervously, as if contemplating her next move. She closed her eyes, letting out a calm breath, before twisting her head to Subaru, raising an open palm towards the frightened Butler. Subaru's eyes widened, the sight of Ice forming toward him to chuckle nervously, sweat falling from his face. "E-Emilia? Wh-what're you doing?"

Again, she didn't respond. His breath became heavy, fear and agony gripping his heart again. A mantra of 'This can't be happening' echoing loudly in his head. The mist from the pillar of ice sizzled into nothingness, whiffs of white floating to the sky above, uncaring of the drama it left behind. Emilia hardened her gaze, but even Subaru could see the unshed tears of the girl he once loved. No words or sounds were exchanged, only the sight of Ice making its way to Subaru.

This, is how Subaru was betrayed once again.

* * *

Beacon Academy

Tuesday Morning

This was a complete repeat of Roswaal Manison.

Subaru held his head in his hands, the memory playing so vividly in his mind that he could have mistaken it for the present. A shaky breath escaped his throat, sitting up as he, again, took in the area around him. Grass littered the area, trees burrowed themselves deep into the ground, and a few benches lined the walkway. Few students traveled by, the day having just begun, but those that did pass watched him with suspicion. Was it his cloths, or the dangerous gaze his eyes were permanently set on? Subaru didn't know, nor did he care.

He couldn't bring himself to care. The sun lightly touched his face, giving him an image of peace and tranquility. That, however, couldn't be farther from the truth. Fear gripped his heart, and uncertainty clouded his mind. There were many things that Subaru feared, and reliving the past was one of them. Both figuratively and literally.

Unfortunately, that was the exact situation he found himself in. Just a day prior, Subaru had been sleeping in a comfy bed, his head resting on a feathered pillow, the security of his room bringing peace of mind. Today, he had woken up to a rock solid mattress, stripped of his possessions and sent back four days into the past.

Someone had killed him, and he had no idea who had done so.

Unlike the years prior to joining Emilia's Camp, Subaru had developed an unconscious suspicion of anyone and everyone. Even those that he believed to be friends, or those he held dear, it didn't matter. Everyone was a suspect. Ruby, Yang, Sun, Jaune, Ozpin, Peach; they were all suspects in the grand scheme of things. All liars, cheats and murderers in the eyes of Subaru. In this situation, that may have been seen as a healthy mentality, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

Ignoring that he could practically be surrounded by enemies, his list of potential killers had widened to a gargantuan margin. Where as a few years back with Emilia and Co. Subaru had only a handful of choices. Heck, back then he believed it was an outside source, not a insider. The paranoia Rem had left him with was a gift and a curse. While it had more than once saved his life down the line or got him unstuck from a peculiar loop, the problem with this seemed to arise when he started pointing fingers at every one.

Not only did the list of choices grow with this, he wouldn't be able to prove it was them unless they came to him. Subaru could have abused Return By Death, killing them one by one, but that would have solved nothing. If he were to aggravate those in Beacon, the backlash wouldn't solve his dilemma. That would just increase the amount of potential killers. That was something Subaru needed to avoid.

He needed to make a list. A list that consisted of likely candidates. Subaru leaned forward, rubbing his chin in contemplation. This wasn't as easy as it sounded. Almost all of Beacon was filled with 'good' individuals, none that could possibly kill him, or even think of doing that.

Sun was thrown out the window almost immediately, as he had shown a great distaste for killing and the like, even showing some sympathy for Garfiel when Subaru had cut off his senses. Ruby was also out of the picture, as he knew for a fact someone like her would detest murder. She was too much like Emilia in that aspect.

That just left Ozpin, the rest of Team RWBY, SSSN and JNPR. There were way too many candidates as they were, enough to make Subaru rightfully uncomfortable. This was also excluding the majority of the school, like Team CRDL or CFVY. Subaru was willing to pardon CFVY however, as the bad blood between them may be nonexistent. Fox had stopped by for a small chat following day after his trial, wishing Subaru good luck in becoming a Hunter.

That didn't mean Subaru couldn't narrow down likely suspects though. The first to come to mind was Yang Xiao Long. For the majority of his time here, she had been increasingly hostile towards him, even after the apology. Apparently she still didn't like the fact that Ruby had grown… 'attached' to him. Ruby had wanted to know more and more about The World Above, which Yang venomously claimed was just a fairy tale. Yet no matter how much Subaru thought of it, Yang wasn't one to kill, especially while someone's guard was down like that. If she was angry enough, maybe, but it was still highly unlikely.

Subaru was unsure of Blake Belladonna and Weiss Schnee however. The majority of his time had been in the presence of Team SSSN and in the Library, learning more about Remnant and its inner workings. Heck, he wouldn't even know much of Yang and Ruby if it hadn't been for them tagging along. Ruby for obvious reasons, and Yang because she didn't trust Subaru around her sister. Subaru just had to assume Blake and Weiss were the same as Ruby and Yang. That didn't mean he wouldn't keep an eye on them though.

From what little he knew of Blake Belladonna, she seemed to be the most anti-social out of the group. The few times he had spotted her with RWBY, Blake's face was always glued to whatever material she was reading. He shouldn't really judge her though, as throughout the last loop, he had been in the same position with his Gospel and the Library's source of education.

Weiss Schnee… from what he could tell, she was stuck up. Extremely so. If he were to compare it to somebody of Lugnica's Orgins, he'd have to say she was on par with Regulus. Insulting, careless and arrogant. Well, she wasn't as bad as him, but she was up there. He wasn't able to discern whether she was a murderer or not, but he could tell she could at least hold a conversation in politics. That was hard to come by these days.

Next was the whole of Team JNPR. Starting with their leader, Jaune Arc. Now, if it wasn't for the seriousness of the situation, Subaru would have laughed at the idea of the blonde killing, but he didn't throw the idea away. Jaune had been the last person Subaru had talked to before he died, and that was a good indicator that he was the killer. This was going off of memory of previous loops of course. Yet what he seen of him, Subaru could deduce Jaune couldn't hurt a fly, even if he wanted to.

Next was Nora Valkyrie. Much like Ruby, she was a ball of energy. Always happy and uplifting. She seemed the type to let a friend lean on them if needed. Her stories were as outlandish as her outfits, yet they seemed to fit her perfectly. Subaru could tell that it would have been… different to spend time with her. Could she kill someone though? He couldn't tell.

Pyrrha Nikos was probably the most likely candidate on Team JNPR. Her background as a world renowned gladiator, and the fact that she was overly nice ticked all the boxes in Subaru's 'Beware Of' list. That, and she had the eyes of someone who had experienced death on a number of occasions. Subaru would have to keep an eye on her.

Last, and finally, was Lie Ren. Subaru, on a personal note, probably enjoyed his company the most. During one of the times Ruby had dragged him to her uninterested friends to introduce him, Ren had shown to be more of the 'don't speak unless spoken to' type. Of course, he also spoke when he deemed appropriate, but only doing so when his words held meaning, not mindless chatter. The air sound him was relaxing, yet held an unprecedented edge to it. Subaru was unsure if Ren had the ability to kill, much less have reason to.

So, the only ones even worth keeping an eye on was Weiss, Blake, Ren, and Pyrrha. Of course, that was excluding most of the campus, but it was a start. Now all he had to…

Subaru bit his lip, stopping his train of thought. He had this all wrong. It didn't matter if he kept an eye on anyone or not, if in the end he was still killed. So what if he retraced the steps of the last loop? What would that accomplish besides wasting four days of his life? This was not the proper course of action.

What he should have been focusing on is intentions, not the ability to kill. Why would someone want to kill him? What reason was there to end the life of someone like him? Was it the attitude he had in the previous loop? Was it something he said that sent someone over the edge? Or had someone found out his true identity?

No, that was preposterous. If someone had realized his identity, there would be no way they wouldn't confront him on it. Multiple times he had been caught red handed, and each time the hero had to question him on his deeds and so forth. It was honestly laughable. They had no right to be as righteous as Reinhardt when they themselves had taken bribes from the Cult. Lugnica, part of Kararagi, The whole of Gusteko had been bribed to allow them leisure to do as they pleased. The only respectable country was The Volakia Empire.

Subaru wouldn't say this out Loud, but he hoped the next King of Lugnica dealt with this issue. While it did make life easier on him personally with guards turning a blind eye, it also meant that the other Archbishops were able to prosper. Once that kind of system was torn down, then the guards will start reporting to the Knights. Heck, maybe even Reinhardt would get involved and finish off Capella for him. Subaru would owe him twice if that were the case.

Subaru let out a sigh, dragging his mind back to the previous topic. What exactly was he to do? Retracing his steps was out of the question; Subaru couldn't waste another four days. Attacking everyone was just an idiotic solution. Then the idea of just ignoring his woes was the cowards way out. Truly, Subaru wished he was more of a intellectual type. The only way Subaru could possibly get out of this was to get on everybody's good side. Or flat out ignore everyone.

That meant he was going to have to kiss some major ass, or be a prick to everyone. Subaru sighed, the answer being simple. He had no intention of dying again, so he had no wish to get on everyone's bad side. Subaru sighed, realizing he needed to kiss major ass.

But who should he start with?

"Ah, Mr. Natsuki. So this is where you've been hiding." That voice was familiar. Even before he looked to the side, Subaru guessed who his visitor was. Who wouldn't? He was the only man who walked around with a cane, that even now tapped with an almost uncanny rhythm to it. looking to the side, he spotted the familiar gray hair and black suit that no one other than Ozpin wore. "I must say, you sure gave Professor Peach a run for her money. At least, you frightened her enough for her to loose track of you."

"Heh, yeah. I'll have to apologize to her later, huh?" Subaru responded, more of a statement than a question. Ozpin didn't respond, instead taking this chance to sit next to Subaru, smiling and waving at a group of students.

"Now, don't get me wrong Subaru, I know it must be frightening waking up in a familiar environment, but I'd prefer it if you didn't worry our best Medic on hand." Ozpin said, Subaru looking down in guilt. He didn't really trust Peach all that much, but he could understand she does what she does because she cares. "But, enough with the lecture. I'm sure you will get enough of that later on. For now, let's just relax and take in the scenery."

To that, Subaru gave a appreciative nod. Ozpin must've sensed something was troubling him if he was allowing for Subaru to relax. Last loop Ozpin had been insistent on hurrying to the dormitory, a much different attitude than his current one. Subaru was grateful nonetheless.

Slowly, his mind drifted back to the current situation. In that moment, Subaru decided who he should start with if he needed something done. The one that was the peskiest of them all.

Yang Xiao Long.

* * *

"You're just a conman! Trying to trick my sister and get close to her! I bet you don't even have any proof!" Yang yelled, pressing her finger against Subaru's chest.

Subaru held back a curse. He was half tempted to sick a nasty Shamak on her again, but held back. That wouldn't do if he wanted to follow a different path than the last loop. Besides, She was just concerned for her sister, which Subaru could get behind. He'd probably be the same if he had a sibling. Maybe. Familial attachment wasn't really a thing for Subaru, so it was hard to tell. With a sigh, he wore a plastic smile, shrugging.

"You're absolutely right! Caught me red handed!" Subaru conceded, surprising both Ozpin and Ruby, Yang grinning in triumph. Subaru detested lies, but if it was out of necessity, he wouldn't blame whoever did the same in his bout of hypocrisy. Putting one hand in his pocket, he clenched it as tight as he could, his Pride turning to shame as he practically bowed to the blonde Hunter. "At the time, I thought I was using Magic, but I guess I was actually using my Semblance. Fox helped me realize that. My apologize."

The silence that followed was… unnatural. Subaru looked around nervously, unprepared for this kind of reaction. He expected a yell of triumph from Yang, or Nora freaking out about Something or other, not complete and utter silence. Ren had even stopped flipping his pancake, watching him suspiciously. Subaru would have taken note of that, if everyone else weren't doing the same.

"You're joking? Right?" Ruby was the first to break the silence. Her face mimicked the distress in her voice, but it was hard to catch if you weren't paying attention. "Subaru, you're joking! You told me about The World Above! The-the Knights of Lugnica! Magic! You cant be real! It was all a lie!?"

Subaru hadn't anticipated this at all. Ruby seemed genuinely distressed by his words. Sure, he expected the self proclaimed fantasy freak to be a bit upset at this, but not to this extent. Subaru wasn't able to back down now however. Something he learned a long time ago was that you never go take back something you said, as you'd just be labeled a liar. Subaru resisted the urge to grit his teeth, continuing to kiss Yang's ass.

"No, I still remember the world above, but I'm unsure if it's real." Subaru said, the words coming out of his mouth unintentional. Subaru bit his tongue, cursing himself at the improvised lie. No one seemed to catch on, or nobody pointed it out, as no one spoke up.

"So, it isn't real…" Ruby said, her face mirroring defeat. She started to walk to the entrance, silent.

Unknown to Subaru, it wasn't just the fact that The World Above being fake that brought her down, but the doubt she felt towards her own being. The images of Subaru's Claw played over and over in her mind, but she did her best to rid her thoughts of them. If she was delusional enough to believe in The World Above, then she was delusional enough to be seeing things that weren't even there.

"Ruby." Yang called, but the younger sister didn't respond. Looking nervously to her team, Yang gave a worried look. "I'm sorry guys, but I'm gonna go talk with her. I'll catch up later!"

With that, Yang and Ruby disappeared. Subaru cursed under his breath, an odd sense of Déjà vu running through his system. This was just like the previous loop, but much, much worse. Sure, Yang and Ruby weren't mad at him (maybe), but now he was outed as a liar. Subaru silently wished he'd just retrace his steps, risking angering whoever was his killer.

Maybe that was his problem? He didn't even know if it was someone in this group or not. He should have just followed the same route as last loop, but stayed up on the fourth night. This could potentially escalated the situation to tonight, instead of Friday. That was a problem for later though, he needed to deal with the present.

"Is she going to be alright?" Subaru asked. Admittedly, he was slightly worried about the young Rose, as she had proved to be a reliable ally in the battle against Garfiel. While it was true that she wasn't directly involved, she had requested Sun to aid him in battle. If he hadn't showed up, Subaru was unsure if he'd even be free from Garfiel's Wrath.

Weiss sighed, turning to Subaru with a relieved look. "She'll be fine, that idiot always bounces back from things like this. I can't remember the last time that Ruby was down for longer than a week." Weiss said, giving him a grateful look. "But thank you for telling the truth. She's been going on and on about how great and powerful you are, coming from The World Above and all that. I wasn't sure if she would ever get out of that faze."

"I'm not sure that's a good thing though." Pyrrha spoke up, looking worried. "Ruby has always fantasized about Fantasy Life. I think that's what keeps he going. To have it teased like that in front of her just to be out down might be hard on her."

"I agree with Pyrrha." Jaune said, adding in his two cents. "Most of the time when we practice she's just been talking about The World Above and how magical it is. Even if it's just a fairy tale our Moms told us at night, it might have hit her harder than it looked."

"Either way, what's done is done." Ozpin said, his voice sounding… dangerous. Like he was holding a kid hostage, threatening to end their life. That caught Subaru off guard. "Right now, I have a small favor to ask. Would one of you kindly escort Mr. Natsuki to his classes and around school if you so wish?"

"Ah, actually, I'm fine." Subaru said, Ozpin raising an eyebrow at this. From the looks of it, Ozpin did not look happy about that at all. "Okay, never mind."

"Oh! We will! We will!" Nora yelled, jumping up and down, her right arm waving wildly. Subaru would have paled if he wasn't more composed than he normally was. The show and tell with Team SSSN had been, for the lack of better words, hectic. It may have been due to the anti-socialness of The Cult, but Team SSSN was a bucket full of excitement and laughter that was almost too much for Subaru. Nora was that and more. He had seen her devour a gigantic bowl of noodles (weird name for a food) and go on a jog afterwards. This girl had the hyperactivity of a Dragon Carriage on drugs.

'Please don't agree. Please don't agree.'

"If you so insist." Ozpin responded, Subaru almost slamming his head on a table in frustration.

This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Beacon Academy

Tuesday

Sometime after school

"This, my grand compatriot, is the one, the only, Dormitory!" Nora yelled, exasperating her movements. Subaru raised an eyebrow at her, as did her teammates sharing looks of confusion.

"I… I was here this morning, you know that, right Nora?" Subaru asked, lazily pointing a finger at the building. Nora waved off his question, letting out a loud 'Pshhh' as she did so.

"Of course I knew that! I was asked specifically to escort you around, and that's exactly what I'm going to do, whether you like it or not! Even if you have already been there, do you understand!"

"Nora, we weren't 'specifically' asked to do anything. You volunteered us." Ren corrected, causing Nora to place a finger on his lips, shaking her head back and forth.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. You worry to much about the details, Ren! It's not the destination, but the journey we embark that makes life so meaningful! Don't you agree!?"

"No. I'd rather get to my destination than travel there. I don't want to travel from Mistral to Vale again." Ren said, taking her hand off his lips. Nora adopted a thoughtful expression, cupping her chin and placing her free hand on her hip.

"Yeah, that trip was horrible. But that's not the point! The point is that we have to show…"

"Subaru."

"Subaru around the school! I won't take any chances of him falling behind! Now, follow me my legion, as we travel amongst the stars, to the cafeteria!"

"I already know where that is."

"Doesn't matter!" Nora replied to Subaru cheerily. Ren gave a chuckle of amusement, catching up to Nora, walking next to the excited girl. Subaru resisted the urge to sigh, a trend that he noticed becoming more and more of a luxury than a necessity. Subaru lagged behind, unwilling to partake in any form of madness that Nora may have dragged him in.

Nora Valkyrie was an interesting character. She always seemed upbeat, and taking the littlest of things to a level that would seem out of the ordinary. It was an enjoyable out of the ordinary though, not the sort that the Cult could compare to. Invisible hands, shape shifters, and people who ate others entire being, existence and all, kind of out of ordinary weren't what Subaru would classify as enjoyable.

"Subaru, correct?" Pyrrha spoke up, grabbing the Archbishops attention. Glancing at her, he gave a silent nod, to which she smiled at. "Ah, fantastic, has Beacon been treating you kindly?"

Kind was not the exact way Subaru would have put it. More like stressful or horrifying. It wasn't the way one would think of those terms however. Beacon had been stressful for the simple fact that he understood next to nothing about Remnant. Again, that was the reason Subaru tended to spend his time within the library, reading and learning of this new land The World Above rarely spoke of. Horrifying for the fact that everyone in the school seemed to have this uncanny quirk that made them special. Not in the ability department either.

Nora was as hyperactive as a squirrel. Jaune was by all means a klutz. Ruby had a fascination with weapons and the unknown. Yang was a flat out brute. Weiss was a stuck up princess. Pyrrha was overly nice. Blake was a bookworm on par with Beako. Ren was by all means a monk.

Hell, Fox was blind! Literally Blind!

"…It's been a little more than interesting." Subaru hesitated, choosing his words wisely. He didn't want to say something that wasn't true if he could help it. Pyrrha smiled, her positivity coming off as eerie for Subaru.

"That's wonderful!" Pyrrha cheered, silently clapping her hands together. "I do hope you enjoy your stay at Beacon! It's a wonderful place, and I'm more than happy to share if you want!"

"I'm not sure what you mean, but I'm good." Subaru declined, her attitude creeping him out. Seriously, her positivity was not helping his mood at all. He needed to change the subject… or something. "So, what is there to do around Beacon? Any… uh, things to do?"

"There's a ton to do at Beacon." Jaune pitched in, taking this for Pyrrha. Subaru internally thanked the Hunter Knight. "Like… Combat Club (Fight Club), or, uh… there's not a lot of clubs in Beacon, is there?"

"Of course there are!" Pyrrha said cheerily, Subaru screeching like a banshee in his mind. "While Beacon is a Hunter Academy, which focuses mainly on combat, there are other courses if a student wishes to go into a field that isn't as combat heavy. Like Tech, or Financing. There have been more than a handful of students going into Law, and other such careers."

"Wait, so I could actually become a Lawyer or something if I wanted to!?" Jaune asked, Pyrrha nodding. The words that were shared flew over Subaru's head, giving him a slight headache. He didn't know much about education in The World Above, but he knew it was a luxury for the rich. Work was sort of the same, having a hire on the spot process. From what Subaru could gather, Remnant must've worked a little differently if work and education were hand in hand.

Well, this would have to be something he studied later in the Library.

"Hey Subaru, I know this is more of a Ruby question, but do you have a weapon?" Jaune asked, dragging Subaru back into the conversation. At least this time it was something Subaru could understand, so he would concede.

"I don't technically have a weapon, but I know how to use a straight sword and am proficient with the whip." Subaru said, recounting the miniscule lessons in combat Clind had provided. The World Above was a dangerous place, so it wasn't put of the ordinary for Butlers and Maids to double as a bodyguard if needed. Pyrrha smiled at his answer.

"How great! As it turns out, both Jaune and I are swordsmen too!" Pyrrha exclaimed, clapping her hands as an idea sprung in her head. "Say, Subaru, would you like to have a duel?"

Subaru internally screamed 'NO' to her question, however he reined himself in. He had seen the way Pyrrha moved, and while she fought as she acted, kind, Subaru didn't want to be humiliated in a fight against a overly kind woman. However, he couldn't just decline, as he didn't wish to get on anybody's bad side, no matter how miniscule it may be.

"Sure, how about next week?" Subaru offered, dodging the invitation to fight. Subaru wasn't a pessimist, but he had no doubt something would go down on Friday, if not sooner. If he didn't die, then he'd be hospitalized for awhile during whatever fight there was. Pyrrha ever present smile seemed to twist into something unorthodox for her.

"That is wonderful!" Pyrrha said, her voice betraying the look on her face. She seemed all to happy for this for some reason. It was hard to notice, and Subaru doubted he would have caught on if he wasn't on edge with the whole killer scenario. He'd rather focus on training and on evading that outcome than worry about some girl who didn't know what to do with herself.

* * *

Beacon Academy

A Few Hours Later

The rest of the tour had followed the same process as Team SSSN's introduction to Beacon. A tower there. A restroom there. The classrooms there. Only, Subaru had actually gained a little insight on one of the buildings. Actually, it wasn't technically a building, but a tower.

"The CCT, huh?" Subaru repeated the name out loud, hands in his pockets as he looked up at the towering… tower. Lights on the sides of it shined a light green, giving it an ominous, although welcoming, visage to it compared to the night sky. Truly, only one structure in The World Above compared to this; That blasted tower in the middle of the desert. "And apparently, there's four of these, all connected to a… electronic frequency?"

Subaru didn't know much of anything that came out of Ren's mouth when he explained the purpose of the tower, but he understood it was vital to Remnants continued survival. Without it, long range communications through the Metia's called Scrolls would be, for a lacked of better terms, jammed, as in a distortion of communication. At least, that's how Ren explained it.

That wasn't what caught Subaru's interest in the building however. It was more of the story behind how they came to be. Due to a War, simply named 'The Great War', Remnant was put on the brink of annihilation. The only reason it ended was because of a King, specifically Vales, stepping in and putting a stop to it. As a gift, and a token of forgiveness, Atlas shared with it its technology.

This sounded a lot like the Demi-Human War in The World Above. Where giants, Half-Breeds, Lizard Folk, Elf's and the like went against Humans. Subaru couldn't really bring himself to care about the inner workings of something so ordinary like The World Above, but he found a sort of fascination for Remnant for some reason.

Subaru was never one for history or mathematics. He enjoyed the occasional knowledge he gleaned off of second hand conversations and such, but he never really fully devoted himself into just one thing. On a good day, you'd probably catch him reading in the corner, a Sci-fi Novel in hand, or even practicing his concentration with his Claws, but never actually reading History books and the like.

In Remnant though? It was the complete opposite. Throughout most of his days, he'd taken the chance to devour as much knowledge as he could in the Library. The history books didn't read like history books to him, but Fantasy Novels that contained countless stories of Remnant and it's heroes. There was one peculiar chapter that caught his interest. It was set during the Great War, trenches being dug around Vacuo in hopes to stave off the endless onslaught of Atlas. A soldier, who's name escaped Subaru, spent three days and nights tending to his comrades. Sadly, he'd forgotten to tend to himself, dying due to dehydration. A few days later, the War came to an end. The man received a memorial, and a statue to commemorate what he did for his brother-in-arms.

Once upon a time, Subaru dreamt of being that kind of person. Devoted, and caring of those around him. Now however? He knew he would never be someone like that. He wasn't a hero, but a villain. He killed. He stole. He was the opposite of a hero.

A pang of guilt gripped his heart before be swallowed it. There was no reason for him to feel that way. He did what he had to survive. Anyone else in his position would do the same.

Subaru let out a somber tsk, kicking his foot in agitation, taking his eyes off the CCT and making his way to his Dorm. Why was he thinking like this? It didn't bother him when he purged that Lizard Village awhile back, so why was he bothered by it now? He was an Archbishop of Pride. He should have felt Pride at what he accomplished. Pride for who he was.

So why did it feel so wrong?

"Oof!" A sudden force brought him out of his momentary trance. Rubbing his head in pain, Subaru looked down to the individual he had unfortunately knocked over. His eyes widening who it was. Fear, dread, hysteria. Subaru wasn't sure what he felt, but he knew it wasn't pleasant.

"R-R-R-Rem!?" Subaru questioned, the girl looking up in anger. Subaru's breath hitched, tripping over himself as he backed away. Rem got up, walking over to him, her fists clenched in anger. "W-W-What are you doing here!? Y-Y-you're supposed to be with Emilia!"

Rem didn't respond, instead increasing her pace. Subaru crawled backwards, doing his best to get away from the angered Oni, yet no matter how much he pushed, she just drew closer and closer to him. As she came within his range, Rem raised her right arm, the same move a Magic User did when they wished to direct their spells. Subaru raised his arms, blocking his face from her sight.

"Hey, are you okay?" That… that wasn't what Rem sounded like. Shaking, Subaru lowered his arms, the mop of blue hair was replaced by a trimmed light green. Her skin wasn't even light, it was dark. Subaru's eyes darted back and forth between her outstretched hand, which offered to help him up, and her eyes that silently judged him.

'What… what the f % was that!?' Subaru thought to himself, trying his best to calm himself down. None of what just occurred made any sense. Why was Rem there? Why did he freak out at the sight of her? Why did he even see her? Admittedly, the Green haired girl in front of him looked similar to her, but that was no reason to freak out like that. 'I-It has to be a lack of sleep or something… yeah! Yeah!'

"T-Thank you."

"Are you okay? You looked really freaked out there."

"Yeah, I just thought I saw… something." Subaru said, choosing his words carefully. He almost admitted to seeing someone.

Hesitantly, he grabbed girls hand, allowing himself to be pulled along like a puppet. Letting go, Subaru silently nodded his head in thanks, the message successfully getting through to the girl. She smiled, before her eyes widened and narrowed as she got closer to his face. Subaru backed away, successfully hiding his discomfort from his face.

"He~y, I recognize you! You're that new guy, the one who fought Fox!" She leaned back, giving Subaru space to breathe, which he was thankful for. Subaru dusted off his uniform, doing his best to act like nothing had happened.

"Uh, yeah, that's me! Natsuki Subaru, pleasure to make your acquaintance." Subaru said, overdoing his Formal persona. He still wasn't one hundred percent with that whole Rem scenario.

"Emerald Sustrai. I'm in some of your classes. Say, your not from Mistral are you? Your name doesn't sound like anything like Vales locals. Actually, it doesn't sound like your names following the 'Color Naming Rule' at all!"

"Color… Naming Rule?" Subaru repeated, genuinely confused. What the heck was 'The Color Naming Rule'? That sounded obnoxiously stupid to him.

"You don't know? What the hell kind of education did you get when you were a kid? Well, I guess I'll have to teach you then, The Color Naming Rule is a… I wouldn't say a law, but a tradition that all of Remnant follows. Well, except Vacuo and Mistral, sorta, but they have their own fancy way of doing it." Emerald said, leaning On her hip as she went a little off topic.

"So, what does it imply?" Subaru asked, curious about this. Again, Remnants way of life was fascinating for Subaru, even if he wasn't that smart.

"Well, basically it's a tradition where everyone names their children after colors or something similar. For example, my names Emerald, and Emerald is the name of a Jewel that's green. You see?"

"That is… really fitting actually." Subaru said, looking at Emeralds green hair. Thinking back on it, wasn't there another piece of Jewelry called 'Ruby'? That… that would explain Ruby's name. She fit it too, if the descriptions were anything to go by. "I'm not sure where I was born, but I know I wasn't raised in Mistral."

"Aw, was hoping there'd be another one of us. Oh well. Anyways, it was nice chatting, but I really have to go." Emerald said, passing Subaru by before he even got a chance to speak. Turning to her, she gave a wave of her hand. "Catch ya later, Mr. Cultist!"

"Yeah, I'll see you-" Subaru stopped, his breath hitching and eyes widening in surprise. Subaru snapped his neck back to the girl, surprise betraying his face. Yet when he looked, no one was there. The green haired girl was gone, replaced by nothing except for a lone streetlight, shining down on where she was meant to be.

"W-What the hell?" Subaru said, grabbing his face. Was all that just a figment of his imagination? No, it couldn't be. That girl was physical. She had bumped into him, helped him up, and she… felt all to real. Besides, He had gained new information on Remnant, one that explained the naming process. That was something he wouldn't have been able to come up with.

Unless he was truly going insane. That what he felt knocking him down was nothing but in his head. 'No. No it can't be.'

Letting out a shaky breath, he forced himself to calm down again. 'There was no one there. I was just imagining things. Stress at this whole killer thing is getting to me. It has to be. It has to be.' With a nod, Subaru lowered his hands, placing down in his pockets, ignoring the scenario that had just occurred. Subaru never noticed however, that when he left, the girl stood there, her face troubled, but content. Taking out her scroll, she messaged her leader one, simple message. (1)

'The Cultist is broken.'

* * *

Beacon Academy

Wednesday Morning

Before First Period

Subaru wasn't able to sleep that night.

With all that had been going on in the past day, it wouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone that this would be the case. A wild killer on the loose, his mistakes with Ruby and Yang the day before and the possibility of him being insane coming into fruition, it was a wonder how Subaru was even to keep a cool head about this.

Clicking his heel on the ground, he took in the sight that surrounded him for what seemed to be the thousandth time. Grass as far as the eye could see, wet and pristine, reflecting the light of the sun in an almost transcendent gleam. A river sat to his left, the school sitting far to his right. Benches lined the area, a fence sitting in a wide oval like shape.

This part of the school was lovingly called 'The Battle Ground'.

Why anyone would name it such was beyond Subaru. If he had to guess though, it would have to be the mock battles that were held monthly around here. From the way Sun had described it, it was to be a grand event; a sort of free for all where almost everything went. Whoever won would gain a grand prize the likes of which Subaru (apparently) had never see.

Once again, that brought up the question as to why a Hunter Academy, which taught students how to slay Grimm, would also teach students how to brutalized others. Well, as Subaru found out due to his time in the last loop, Hunters weren't just slayers of Grimm. They also slated humans when need be.

From what he learned, Hunters operated similarly to the Knights of Lugnica. While the Guards of the Kingdom would police the populence of Lugnica, the Knights would act as a Higher Authority against skilled Humans or, in Subaru's case, the Cult. The Police of Vale worked in a similar fashion to this. Vales officers would police the public, while Hunters would quell stronger foes like The White or Black Fang. Well, if requested or paid to of course.

Hunters worked similarly to Mercenary groups. While the majority went to work for Legions or Outposts that operated outside of the Kingdoms, some went in a completely different direction. Working as hired muscle, on the move or stationary. That didn't mean they didn't kill Grimm however, as there were more than enough Huntsmen stories that would even reach Subaru's ears (through the Library of course).

That was the reason the Battle Grounds and Arena existed.

And Subaru had just torn it asunder.

Small holes littered the ground, hand prints the size of a young teen imprinted in the earth. All around the oval it was like this. Subaru felt slightly guilty for whoever tended to the field, as this would be hell to clean up. Clicking his heel again, he focused on two claws, one for each foot.

"Okay, how about this?" Subaru asked himself, flattening the Claws palms, placing them under his feet. Subaru lowered himself, placing a knee under himself and holding himself up with his arms. Not bothering to count down, he charged, using the force of his Claws to propel him to higher speeds. The wind hit his face, songs of air whistled through his ears as he turned, following the fences outline. Surprisingly, it felt good. Running this fast that is.

As he neared the place from where he started, he used to Claws to puncture the ground, slowing him down. Subaru greedily took in handfuls of air, doing his best to calm his racing heart. Grabbing at his chest, he straightened his back, releasing a deep intake of oxygen.

47 seconds.

It had taken forty seven seconds to run around that track. Without the use of his Claws, his highest sprint had been two minutes and thirteen seconds. That was a major difference versus the use of his claws. If Subaru wasn't so tired, he would have cheered. Instead, he settled with falling on his back, closing his eyes as he felt the softness of the grass caressing his back.

Subaru was happy. Amidst all the stress that accompanied him during his time at Beacon, Subaru couldn't deny that he was happy. He had met some interesting people, and while he wouldn't go so far as to claim to be their friends, Subaru would admit they were enjoyable to be around. Well, maybe not Pyrrha, but that was a different topic. He had also learned more than his whole time in The World Above. History was interesting, and the oh so lovely condiment of Mayonnaise existed. That wasn't even touching the fact that he had just found a way to run faster than most human beings.

Truly, Subaru was happy.

But so freaking tired.

The sound of shuffling clothes caught his attention. Cracking open his eyes, he watched the silhouette of a girl (?) hover over him, the figure hidden by the light of the Sun. Raising his arm over his eyes, shadowing them from the light, Subaru took in what looked to be… well, a girl. The sun still blocked his view of her, but he was at least sable to tell the Black hair that hung loosely over her shoulder.

"Uh, hey?" Subaru said weakly, his lack of sleep affecting his speech. The girl smiled, leaning on her hip.

"Hi." Her voice came out smooth, the sound gently brushing against his ears. If Subaru were to admit anything, he'd say that she sounded almost gorgeous. It was like she had perfected speech itself, beyond anything what humanity would have acquired. That was all just from a single greeting. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"I'm not sure. I'm immensely tired, but I can't seem to fall asleep. I've been stuck practicing my techniques all night, trying to clear my mind." Subaru admitted. He didn't know why he was bothering talking to this stranger, but he didn't really see a problem in it. He was happy, and that was all that mattered. The girl responded by gently kneeling, sitting next to him.

"I can see that. You've practically destroyed the place." She commented, not sounding perturbed by that fact. She lifted her fingers, brushing stray hairs out of his face. Subaru was too tired to stop her. Besides, her touch felt incredibly soft, helping his drowsiness. "Say, you wouldn't happen to mind sharing how you did this, would you? It very much fascinates me."

"Nah, I don't mind." Subaru whispered out, his eyes fluttering as he slowly closed them. "I… I was using the Unseen Hand… to push… off the ground, hel… helping me go faster."

"Unseen Hand? What's that?"

"It's… it's a power I stole from Bete… another Archbishop."

"Another Archbishop? Does that mean you're one, Subaru?" Subaru didn't answer, his soft breaths signaling her that he had fallen asleep. She smiled, leaning near his forehead, and whispering the tiniest of words.

"Goodbye, my Archbishop of Pride, Natsuki Subaru. I can't wait for you to join us."

Subaru's eyes snapped open, sitting up faster than he thought was humanly possible. His eyes darted around for that girl, yet no matter how much he searched, she was not to be seen. Subaru's mind connected the dots, slowly coming to the conclusion that no, that wasn't real, and yes, he was being driven insane.

First that dream in the police station, then seeing Rem in a girl that looked nothing like her, who ended up not being real herself, now a girl who knew of who he was? Either someone was playing with his mind, or he had finally broke like the other Archbishops.

Subaru wasn't really sure which one was preferable.

* * *

Beacon Academy

Library

Thursday, Late After School

Do you know what one of the greatest achievements mankind has ever created to this day? No, it isn't paint or the light bulb, or the existence of cars or guns. It wasn't even the coffee you drink each morning to get yourself through the day. It was the development of Public Libraries.

That's what Subaru believed at least. From what Ruby and JNPR had explained to him last loop, the Library was continuously outdated by the existence of scrolls, which contained a much more vast amount of information, but Subaru didn't really care. He didn't know how to work the Scroll besides opening his door, and Subaru didn't see a reason for himself to learn. Sure, he could have gained more knowledge if he gained access to it, but that wouldn't benefit him until after he finished everything in the Library.

Besides, nothing could beat the feel of book paper.

'Oh god, I'm becoming a Book Worm like Beako!' Subaru morbidly thought, the image of him sitting in the Forbidden Library, reading along with Beako in silence bothering him. Yet he didn't shut the book he was reading. It was too addicting to close now.

Speaking of bothersome scenarios, Subaru had finally gotten some sleep. During each period, due to him having gone through it before, Subaru had taken that time to catch up on some rest. While it did ruin his sleep schedule, Subaru didn't very much care as long as it helped him in the end. Especially during fight class, as everyone tended to ignore him.

Well, maybe not for the whole of the fight class. During Wenday fight class, Subaru had spotted a familiar set of green hair. One that he believed to be messing with his head, and one that Subaru was now keeping an eye on.

Emerald Sustrai.

Subaru didn't bother reintroducing himself, as there was still a probability that it had all been in his head, but it didn't hurt to keep an eye on her. She was extremely suspicious, and Subaru didn't like that. Especially with all that was going on.

"Ah, Subaru, may I join you?"

Subaru wasn't as startled as you'd might think when asked this. For some reason, since he'd arrived in Remnant, he'd been getting jumpy at every sound, a trend that continued to Beacon Academy. One would think that with a Killer on the loose, he would be rightfully jumpy, but he had gotten used to it. Everyday it felt like there was a new event that he needed to address, or a new character to meet. He felt like a puppet on strings, and he wouldn't play the part of a toy.

"Ah, Ren, I don't mind." Subaru said, Ren nodding slightly in thanks as he sat down in front of him. No words were shared between them as Ren opened his book, reading whatever was in it. Again, Subaru probably enjoyed Ren's company the most out of all of Beacon. Ren was silent, didn't talk unless he needed to, and when he did it always held some worth to Subaru. Sure, he enjoyed the bombastic Nora at times, as she was fun to be around, but Ren was peaceful. Subaru could tell, given enough time, they could be good friends.

The silence continued, neither talking, but enjoying each other's company. The sound of paper flipping resounded through the area, the slight tap of a finger accompanying it. None spoke up however, as there was no need. No one was disturbed by this however, as all were too entranced by their reading to be disrupted by something as silent as tapping.

Truly, the sound of peace.

"Oh, where's Nora, Ren?" Subaru asked? Ren looked up from his book, giving a small smile. Seemed he wasn't too perturbed by Subaru's inquiry, even with the interruption to his studying.

"She's with Team RWBY and the rest of Team JNPR. Every Thursday after school, we come to the Library to play board games. It's become a tradition between our groups, but I didn't wish to join in this time. A test is coming up, and I'm behind on my studies." Ren explained, probably the most Subaru had heard him speak in one instance. Impressive, but then again, he never hung around Ren that much.

"Ah? Speaking of Team RWBY, has Ruby herself been doing good herself? I don't see much of her, and when I do, she always seems to avoid my gaze. She doesn't hate me, does she?"

"No, I honestly don't believe she has it in herself to be angry at one for long." Subaru gave a sigh of relief. "However, that doesn't mean she isn't disappointed."

"Disappointed?"

"Indeed." Ren nodded, closing his book. "Around a week ago, Ruby started frantically bringing up topics of The World Above. The fairy tales of Dragons, Knights, Magic, etc. I haven't seen her that excited about anything other than Weapons. Most of everyone RWBY and JNPR believed that she would get over it within a day, but I don't think that'll happen for at least a week or a month. She even denied the cookies I made for her."

"God Damnit." Subaru cursed, leaning back as he ran his hand through his hair. This was not good, not good at all. Maybe he should have stuck with the original Route? Sure, he had learned a few new things this time, but he also gained more questions than answers. Who was the killer? Who was Emerald Sustrai? Who was that girl he gave information about himself to? Was he going insane?

"Speaking if The World Above, I must ask, if that's all right with you." Ren asked, Subaru giving him a blank stare before nodding. Ren looked around, eyes darting left and right, before he leaned in. "Are you truly from The World Above?"

'Well, Crap.' Subaru cursed again. This was not a good situation. Subaru didn't mind anyone knowing who he was, or how the world around him perceived him (in a good or bad sense), but he had already claimed one thing on Monday. To go back on it, it would label him as a liar. It wasn't like he could lie about it either, as Ren had answered his question honestly. Subaru didn't enjoy being in debt like that, even if temporarily. Subaru resisted a sigh, looking Ren in the eyes.

"Yes, I was raised on The World Above, inside the province of Lugnica, and came down for… reasons." Subaru admitted, Ren nodding along with him. Subaru raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Woah, do you actually believe me? I thought you said you believed they were fairy tales?"

"I never said that. All I said was that Ruby started bringing up topics of Fairy Tales, specifically The World Above." Ren said, scooting himself in. "I whole heartedly agree that The World Above exists. If not for that, then I wouldn't even be alive."

"Huh? What do you mean? You're from The World Above too!?" Subaru asked, actually surprised by this. He was let down when Ren gave a shake of his head though.

"No, I'm afraid that's not the case." Ren admitted. "While I wasn't born on The World Above, my mother was birthed on such a place. From the stories she told me, she was raised in Kararagi, and came to Remnant to find a better life."

"I can get that. Kararagi is a beautiful place, and if your lucky, a wealthy Kingdom to live under. However, as with every country, there is always a corrupt portion to it." Subaru said, recounting his memories of the place. In reality, it wasn't as bad as he made it out to be, but there were some really dark alleyways if you were to look close enough. Reminded him of a certain Vampire and her stories of Gusteko.

"Exactly. From there, she traveled to Mistral, found my Dad, and I was born. She used to tell me stories of Magic and Knights, fighting to protect the world from danger. It sounded just like a Fairy Tale, but I never doubted her words, even now when I'm all grown."

"So wait, if your Mom is from Kararagi, and your Dad is from Mistral, doesn't that mean that you can use Magic?"

"No, I didn't inherit such a gift. Yet I wouldn't trade my current powers for the world." Ren said, a far off look settling on his face. Subaru watched, but not speaking. He recognized that look, as he had wore it himself multiple times throughout his life.

Death was not a pretty thing, and no one knew that better than Subaru himself. He still remembered the first time he died, helping out that Silver Haired Elf, someone he was tasked to protect. It was painful, and Subaru never wished to experience it again. Yet time and again he had been disappointed. Over and over and over again, he died, he killed and he suffered. There was truly no escape for Subaru.

Not that he wanted one.

An itch started scratching at the back of his mind, a realization that he hadn't done something in a very long time. Clicking his tongue, he reached into his uniform, pulling out his Gospel once again. Flipping to the back of the book, Subaru wasn't surprised to see that it, once again, held nothing of interest. Just the same obnoxious verse as before.

Truly, when was this supposed to end.

* * *

Beacon Academy

Friday

Dormitory, After School Hours

The knocking wouldn't stop.

Snapping open his eyes, Subaru forced himself out of bed, pushing the covers over with an agitated swing. The pounding sound grew louder, Subaru growing more irritated along with it, slowly waking him from his slumber. Rubbing his eyes, he let them adjust to the darkness of the room for a second. He needn't wait long, as he had just had his eyes closed, enveloped in darkness.

'Who the hell is knocking this late at night!?' Subaru thought to himself, glancing outside to the moon lit sky. Thinking about it, whoever was knocking could have potentially saved his life. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but after eating a very fulfilling dinner, and pretending to be asleep, Subaru couldn't help but knock out. It was probably for the best that whoever was knocking had decided to disturb him.

Subaru stood, groggily making his way towards the dorms door. The knocking just grew, irritating, agitating Subaru beyond belief. Who would need to knock that hard in the first place? There was literally no need to do any of that. Subaru aggressively grabbed at the door knob, pulling the door open with a mighty pull, swinging the door with unnatural strength. "What do you want!"

"Ah!"

"Oh… Ruby?" Subaru stated, pointing out the young girl who stood, fidgeting slightly, her eyes darting back and forth. In her hands she held a tray, on it an assortment of cups, those that you would use for tea. She wore an outfit that Subaru assumed was some form of night wear if the bear on her shirt was anything to go by. "What're you doing here? It's dark out, shouldn't you be asleep?"

"Asleep? It's only eight…" Ruby mentioned, Subaru raising his eyebrows at that. Was it really only eight? Then when did he fall asleep!? "And, well, I came here because I wanted to… talk."

"And because I pushed her too!" Another voice chimed in. Striding in like she owned the place, Yang Xiao Long grinned mischievously at Subaru. That didn't give him any form of comfort. "My sister wouldn't shut up about feeling bad for you or something, so I pushed her to do this."

"Yang!"

"What!? It's true! I'm tired of seeing you mope around all day! If one little chat with the conman will get you to cheer up, we're gonna do it, even if it's the last thing we do!" Yang said, snapping her neck at Subaru. "So, you gonna let us in or not."

"Huh? Uh, sure, yeah. Just come on in." Subaru said, moving himself deeper into the room, sitting on the bed. Ruby and Yang followed suit, Yang closing the door behind her as she entered. Ruby looked around the room, interest lining her eyes, before setting the tray on the drawer under the rooms window. Yang looked around the room, her eyes landing on a Black book that laid a table next to the door, but didn't take any heed.

"I'm sorry if I'm too blunt, but why're you here?" Subaru asked, rubbing the fatigue from his eyes. Again, he didn't mind that both Yang and Ruby had come to visit him, as they both had awakened him, but it was a little suspicious. To be here the same night the murderer had shown up? That screamed at him something was up.

Ruby's eyes darted around, before she brought up her hand, her palm facing herself. Frantically, she reached for what Subaru assumed to be tea, pouring a glass. "D-Do you care for some tea?"

Subaru raised an eyebrow, but didn't think much of it. Ruby had acted weird like this before, so this wasn't something to take note of. "Uh, sure. What kind is it?"

"Uh… it's, um… Green Tea! Yeah, Green Tea!" Ruby said, agreeing with herself. With shaking hands, Ruby held out the Mug, which Subaru carefully took. It wasn't hard to notice the steam that flew off the Tea, Subaru blowing on it to cool it down. Taking a sip, he savored the taste, but noticed it wasn't Green Tea. It had more of a sweet taste to it.

"Thank you." Subaru responded, Ruby nodding rapidly. They sat there in silence, Ruby unsure what to say, and Subaru drinking his tea calmly. It was peaceful, so Subaru didn't really mind it, even if it was a little awkward.

"God Dang it!" Yang yelled, belly flopping on the bed Ruby occupied. Sitting up, she hung an arm over Ruby, whispering something in her ear. A mini argument transpired, Subaru watching with disinterest. True, yesterday he may have cared for the situation between him, Ruby and Yang, but now he couldn't be bothered to care. He was tired, and there were more important to worry about than two sisters drama.

As the argument seemed to dwindle to a crawl, Subaru watched as Yang sat back, crossing her arms over her chest. Ruby sighed, before abruptly standing up, her gaze fierce. This managed to take him by surprise, as her gaze reminded him of someone his mind had been drawing back to a lot recently. A gaze fierce, yet no less beautiful no matter who wore it. Emilia the Half-Elf.

"I'm sorry!" Ruby all but yelled, bowing deeply towards Subaru. Subaru eyes widened, not expecting this. "I was extremely rude to you on Monday, and been avoiding you the whole time! I shouldn't have done that! I'm sorry!"

"What?" Subaru asked, confused. Was this why she had been avoiding him? Because she was nervous that he was mad at her? Ruby looked up, still bowed over.

"You… you aren't mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you? There is literally no reason to be mad at you."

"But, But I've been avoiding you! And, and… Why aren't you mad at me?"

"Do you want me to be mad at you?"

"No! No! I just want to know… Ugh! This is so confusing!" Ruby complained, rubbing her hands through her hair. This was not how she expected this to go down at all. Subaru watched, slowly smiling as he caught up with what was going on.

"Look, Ruby, I'm not mad. There was never any reason to be mad in the first place. Sure, I was worried, but I was never mad. What gave you that impression?"

"You were never mad?" Ruby spoke, slowly and quietly. Trembling, she turned to her sister, Yang looking away from the two, face red and cheeks puffed out. Little gasps of breaths escaped her lips as she tried to contain her laughter. Ruby lived up to her name, as her face burned a scarlet red, stomping her foot on the ground. "Yang!"

With a pounce Ruby tackled her sister, wrestling her on the ground. Subaru gave a nervous chuckle, unsure on how to interpret this situation. It was clear that Ruby wasn't intending to hurt her sister, but it was still awkward for him, as the positions they were in were less than child friendly.

With a sigh, Subaru cleared his mind of that. This wasn't a situation where he needed to think so deep about. He should just enjoy his time alive, before he had to deal with the drama of tonight. With a smile that reached his eyes, he watched the two girls wrestle, Yang pulling on Ruby's ears while Ruby pulled open Yang's mouth.

Everything felt at pea-

*Crack*

'Huh? That didn't sound good at all." Subaru said, placing his hand on his stomach. He felt a vibration shudder its way through his body, the same type of vibration you'd feel if you were starving. However, this one was violent, painful, and furious. The same type as... "No!"

Frantically, Subaru stood, running past the girls and into the bathroom. Slamming the door, he didn't hesitate to bring himself to the toilet, sticking his fingers deep into his mouth. A violent lurch caused him to release a torrent of vomit that covered the white of the bowl in red. Wiping away a streak of leftovers off his cheek, Subaru took in the sight of what lay in the toilet.

Blood. Gallons upon gallons of blood.

It was already too late. He had been poisoned.

Subaru cursed, slamming his hand on the edge of the seat. 'I was so damn close! If I had just waited a few hours, then I'd be…'

Wait.

He didn't need to wait to find the killer, for he already did.

Shaking, Subaru turned around, hearing the pounding on the door. Ruby and Yang's voices rang out, calling out to him, but he couldn't understand them. Dizziness clawed at his mind, a sharp pang stabbed his stomach, and the feeling of warm blood pouring from his mouth.

A reverberating bang resounded, the door to the bathroom caved in. A blur of Red and Yellow ran in the room. Their faces were marred with worry, both frantically screaming at the other. A sudden jerk caused more blood to fall from his mouth, the feeling of weightlessness gnawing at him. Lights flashed in and out, wind brushing against his hair as the night sky hung above. The broken moon sat there, mocking him with its peaceful gaze. Red covered his vision, silver eyes filled to the brim with tears.

Why?

Why was his murderer crying? She got what she wanted, so she should have been happy. Not sad. Where were they? Why was it so cold? He'd never experienced a death like this before. He was scared. Why was he scared? Was it the way he was dying, or something else. He didn't know, he just wanted to sleep.

But why were they worried about him…

Unless.

With a deep breath, Subaru spoke the last thing on his mind, smiling softly, even with the Blood pouring out of his mouth.

"You two are good friends."

With that, the Tale of Natsuki Subaru came to an abrupt end, leaving an endless list of unanswered questions for the world.

* * *

1)I don't know why, but I feel I should point out Emeralds goal here. Having been tasked by Cinder to assess Subaru, Emerald confronted Subaru. I will leave it to the viewer to decide whether what Subaru saw of Emerald was her doing or not, but the point was that Emerald wanted to see who exactly he was. She deemed him broken, so reported it to Cinder.

* * *

Story Rant

 **O~h boy it's been awhile. Again, sorry, this Arc is really tough on me. I'm good with Fight scenes and building things up, but I'm not good with the most important aspect of writing- Character Development and Interaction.**

 **Ignoring that, I feel like I did horribly as a writing perspective. This chapter did more than the last, introducing Subaru to Emerald and Cinder, but the problem with that is that it'll practically be thrown away two chapters later. I guess that's technically not true, but it sort of sets up something that I don't intend.**

 **Another thing I think is a notable difference in this chapter is that I showed Subaru developing a new technique. This'll be used a lot when Subaru needs to get from point A to B. I think the major thing I need to point out about this though is that he isn't running very fast. I specifically wanted Subaru to be as fast as an Olympic runner, but not faster than that. He won't get strong moves until the Breach/Wrath Arc.**

 **I felt some scenes to be extremely lackluster too. Like Ruby's apology. It was meant to be heartwarming, but came out as goofy and childish. I need to work on this before the Emilia Arc. Luckily the next Arc will**

 **Also, I'm happy at how well hidden I hid the killer. It wasn't too obvious, but if you caught it, congrats, you don't need to read the next chapter.**

 **Now, what I'm about to talk about is on the story as a whole. While I was writing this chapter, I was thinking of the Arcs after the Vytal festival. Now, I want you to know, I planned this story to originally end there, but as I write, I realize I can't end it there. The arcs I'm setting up for can't be explained in the time of this story. But I don't want to drag it on to an ungodly amount of chapters.**

 **That's why after the Vytal Festival, Cupiditatem will end. That should be around chapter 40 or 50. And a new Fic will be created.**

 **This isn't a small thing, mind you. I thought long and hard on this. In actuality, I hate when Authors make a 'Part 2' of anything, but after Vytal the story won't be the same. The main reason that I'm doing this is because of everything that happens in those final chapters. I can't promise anything, except there will be a lot more character deaths than whatever Re:Zero or RWBY had. If this gets to an ungodly level of negativity for this though, I'll change my mind. I'm just letting you know, as the main thing of this story will come to an end by then.**

 **That's about all. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

Personal Rant

 **So, I don't enjoy asking those to review or favorite or anything, and I'm probably never gonna ask for that. I want people to Review, Favorite and Follow because they think this story is worthy of that.**

 **But god does it feel good to be complimented.**

 **I keep going back and forth between sadness at the state of the fic and motivation when someone follows. It help a lot, especially with this specific Arc. I hate it. But it needs to be done. After this I hope for smooth sailing, all the way until the Emilia Arc, where emotions will come into play. I don't think that Arc will last 3 or 4 chapters though. After that, it's the Kidnapping Arc and Medusa Arc. Then Dance Arc and Wrath Arc, then we'll be at the Vytal Arc, which I might cut a lot of Canon stuff out to shorten it to four or so chapters. Vytal will be mostly fighting, not a lot of conversations. Which I prefer.**

 **Ugh, sorry for taking so long though.**

* * *

Reviews

 **Timothy-nguyen-73** \- Ah, I don't want to say anything, but I do at the same time! Bugging is a great idea!

 **Victormt2live** -

It's fine! Though I did think you got bored of this fic for a little there, but it's good that you're focusing on College beforehand!

Thanks, I have a whole bunch of moves planned out for him, but it's hard to implement them when I wanna build them up. Sorta why I like Superhero fics, cause I don't have to really build them up, just be creative. I plan to make him strong as time passes though, so it may start getting a little fast pace, especially with the 'Plague Doctor' Arc.

In terms of Aura and Magic, it's a little confusing even for me. If you remember in Re:Zero, there are a ton of none Magic based characters that show exponential strength. Al for instance. In the Light Novel, he mentions fighting against Lust, losing his arm in the process. The thing is, is that he's from the same world Subaru is from, and doesn't use magic, so it's really confusing. I'm just gonna have characters, mainly Subaru, utilize there brains more than their brawn when it comes to out doing Aura Users.

I'm happy you enjoyed Peach! I'm sort of on the coin right now on how much screen time she'll get. Mostly leaning towards minimal though, since she won't really make that much of a difference until Wrath.

You actually helped me out with a part I was stuck on with the sleepless nights. Thanks!

Okay, so here's the deal, Subaru doesn't know much Spells right now, and Shadow Magic doesn't really act like traditional Magic. It mostly slows things down and cuts things off. I have a few examples in the later arc of improved Magic, but for now that's all he knows. Basically he's a one trick pony right now.

As much as I want comedy, I couldn't work that in by him saying that. Everyone would have taken that as a threat, everyone. Everyone saw Subaru as a liar, and that whole Shamak business didn't really end well either.

Thank you! I didn't expect that sort of kindness to come from a reviewer, ever! I don't want to think that any of my readers are lazy though, but I do wish this fic did have more visibility, but i wont complain. Thank you! You helped me push through this chapter, and I can't thank you enough for that! I hope I live up to your expectations!

On a Side note, how much you wanna get that If I make a fic Naruto centered, he's in the Akasuki, and follows a similar path to this that I'd get at least 10 reviews right there?

Anyways, till next time!


	8. Silhouette

**Hey! What's up!?**

 **Sorry it took so long! I've been working on this since the day I posted the last chapter, but this was… so~ ha~rd! But! With the help and encouragement from Echonic, Hydronx101, SugoiMasta'69, Evinco, Victormt2live, Guest5890438379, and Redlikeroses7, I'm continuing this! Sadly, this chapter isn't as great as I'd hope.**

 **God I hope I don't lose anyone after this.**

 **I have to say something though; I'm sorry for pulling that pity card last chapter.**

 **I wish I could take it back, but I was indeed going through doubt that anyone was reading, and I thank you for responding, but I'm sorry I did it. I understand it isn't all inherently bad, as all writers want to know that their story is being read, but I shouldn't have begged like that. I hope you can forgive me.**

 **Anyways, on with the show! As always, I respond to reviews and questions left in comments down below! If you want to PM however, I don't mind either! I may be a bit slow responding though. Please use the chrome or safari website to do this though, as the App does not work!**

* * *

Years Before

Lugnica

Expectation is a funny concept. Everything in this world expected something in life, be it a flower blooming in the summer, or a bee taking pollen from a plant, or even the frogs that relied on the bugs to feed their stomachs, everything expected something. Sometimes it lead to disappointment, or even exhilaration, expectation was the start and end of every reaction.

Subaru, for his part, expected his head to be impaled. To be destroyed, brain and all. The culprit being the one he claimed to love most. The one he served, tasked by an ambiguous Master to tend to her needs until the day she transcended to Kinghood. The Half-Elf they called Satella, but who he called Emilia.

Subaru was glad his expectations were wrong.

The ice didn't enter his head, or anywhere in his body for that matter. Pain didn't engulf his very being, and he had no wish for the suffering to end, just to be reset again. He sat there, his arms covering his face in a vain attempt to block the supposed attack. Relief filled him as he realized, no she hadn't killed him, and no, she wasn't aiming for him.

Emilia hadn't betrayed him.

"E-Emilia…" Subaru called, lowering his arms to look the Half-Elf in the eyes. Subaru couldn't even begin to explain the relief he felt when he realized she wasn't here to kill him. That she was, instead, here to save him. Subaru placed a hand on his leg, moving to sit up.

"Halt." Emilia commanded, Subaru freezing in place. Her hand still raised, ice forming beside her again. It was only then that Subaru recognized the fierceness behind those eyes of Maude, the intensity at which they burned being enough to scar even the most resilient of men. If Subaru didn't listen to her, he would be dead in a heartbeat. "You are not free from persecution, for now, however." She raised her free arm to Rem, Ice forming in the direction of the enraged Maid. "Speak."

"Lady Emilia, I believe there is a gre-"

"I don't care. Speak."

If the situation wasn't so dire or confusing, Subaru's mouth might have been left agape, as he had never seen Emilia like this before. Sure, she had her moments of seriousness that came off as borderline frightening, but this felt different. Like she was angry, confused, and left without time. Emilia had never been one for commanding others to do something, a bad habit when she was one of the five candidates to be king, but Subaru knew she was working on it. It was something Subaru only imagined when brought up, but seeing it in action was completely different. It was like she had taken control of the situation in just a few words.

Well, in actuality she did.

Rem watched Emilia carefully, judging and analyzing her. While she did technically work for her, her employer was Roswaal. To Rem, Emilia was just another guest residing in the mansion until the time came for her to leave. Even if Emilia had stayed longer than expected, she was still a guest.

And a guest could potentially turn into a threat.

Tightening her grip on her Morning Star, Rem steeled her gaze upon Emilia. She would play along, if only to compromise and convince her of the pest that encroached upon her home. A pest that Rem swore to smoke out, even if it was the last thing she did. "Lady Emilia, what would you wish to ask from such a humble servant."

"Why are you assaulting Subaru? You've been such great friends until now, why the change of heart?"

"I was and never will be friends with that Witch Fiend!" Rem spit out, her words strumming the strings to his heart. A chill ran down his spine once more, realization that someone he held so dear could potentially… no, did hate him causing no small feeling of depression.

"Witch Fiend? Subaru isn't part of the Witch Cult, or…?"

"No. No, no, no! Why would I ever join the Cult! They kill with no remorse! I'm not a Cultist!" Subaru denied, Rem glaring in his direction. Subaru, like any normal resident of Lugnica, had a deep loathing and fear of the Cult. Not only for their exploits across Lugnica and beyond, but for their end game. The Revival of the Jealous Witch, Satella.

"He… that doesn't matter now, Lady Emilia. The Witch Fiend could be a threat, and it's my duty as a Maid of Roswaal Mansion to rid my home of whatever pest that may squander there."

"Is there a way for me to change your heart, Rem?" Emilia asked, her voice hopeful. Subaru didn't catch that, too busy keeping his eyes on the demon that threatened his life. The silence she gave was all the answer that Emilia needed, Subaru could tell. Emilia closed her eyes, her face wrinkled in concentration. "I-I need to-"

"I can't accept that."

"Emili-!" Subaru stopped, his voice choked. It wasn't from a morning star destroying his left side, nor a blade of wind cutting his neck open that caused this, but two pairs of ice embedding itself on each side of his head that stopped him from breathing. Fear struck his heart for the umpteenth time that day, uncertainty clawing at the back of his mind. 'W-What?'

"Lia, I can't accept that." Almost as if appearing from thin air, a small gray feline grew out of Emilia's hair, floating as if gravity held no meaning. Subaru recognized him as Puck, a spirit of frost that contracted itself to Emilia. One of the only ones Subaru could truly trust besides Emilia.

"Puck! What're you doing!?" Emilia yelled, Puck glaring back at her. She unwillingly flinched, something Subaru hadn't even seen her do, no matter what he did. This was the power someone such as Puck held over the Half-Elf.

"I am doing what's in your best interest."

"My best interest?"

Puck nodded, his gaze softening as he gazed upon the Half-Elf. Unknown emotions flashed through his eyes, unreadable and very well hidden. "I can't let Subaru leave here alive, no matter how much you believe to care for him."

One.

Two.

Three.

Three seconds. It took three seconds for Subaru to register the words of the Artificial Spirit, Puck. The words that rang were of betrayal. A heart wrenching moment that he only held nightmares for, but reality was that; reality. A slap to the face, so hard that he could feel the sting throughout the rest of his body. Down to his very soul.

"What!?" Yet it wasn't Subaru who was the first to speak, nor Rem, but Emilia, who's face betrayed the stern look she held just moments prior. Replaced it was the shock and fear that Subaru himself felt, but formed into words. "No… No, no! We can't kill Subaru! He hasn't done anything wrong!"

"You don't know that." Rem answered, doing her best to convinced the Heir to the Throne. "This… man could have killed countless men, women and children before coming to us! There is no bound a Witch Fiend won't break if they see fit!"

"No! We don't even know if he's a Cultist! Where's the proof!?"

Rem glared at Emilia, shaking her hand slightly. The Morning Star spun, slow at first before it picked up speed. Dirt and Grass flew as spikes scratched the Earth below her. "The stench of the Witch clings on him like a putrid adore! That is enough evidence to carry out Justice as I see fit."

Subaru frantically stood, using the Ice to hold him up. His eyes darted across the area, an escape no where in sight. Thinking quick, he grabbed one of the Ice Shards in the tree. Surprisingly, instead of a painful sting of cold, he felt the searing heat of flame. However, the Ice hadn't turned to flame, but burned him with its intense freeze. He ignored this, pulling the Ice from its place.

"I won't… can't, allow this!" Emilia yelled, positioning her right hand in the direction of the Oni, Ice forming, shards as sharp as spears ready to kill

"I'm sorry, Lia, but I can't let you do this." Puck said, deforming the crystals before positioning them towards Subaru, who held the Ice shard in a defensive manner. "This is for your own good!"

"W-Wait!"

With that, pain engulfed Subaru. Ice tore through him, holes dotting his body. Limbs flew, and he felt his body pin itself to the Wooden Tree, before he slowly slid down into his own bloodied mess.

This wasn't the end for Natsuki Subaru however, as hours later he would wake, healed and confused. Days later he would run into a group looking for one of its lost members, or more specifically, their Pride.

* * *

Beacon Academy

Hospital

Tuesday

Subaru woke with a start, sweat covering his face as his lungs greedily took in more than its fair share of air. His eyes darted around, calm overtaking him as his mind processed where he was. His beating heart came to a crawl, certainty gazing through the fog in his mind. He unconsciously gripped his left arm, a habit he grew accustomed to doing after a painful experience.

Subaru had died again.

He wiped his face, the salt water clinging to his skin. Subaru couldn't blame himself for freaking out like that. The pain of the poison had been painful, slow, and deliberately so. The insides of his organs had been eaten out, vital spots more likely taken out as soon as he had drank the tea. Speaking honestly, it was an ingenious tactic, using one of his acquaintances generosity to their advantage. That was a tactic that Subaru would be more than glad to partake in if given the chance, sadly there didn't need much killing as of late.

Subaru got up, and instead of getting clothed like the other loops, he headed for the window, it's light shining like a beacon of hope. He leaned on the still, the sight of a random group of Huntsmen and Huntresses walking to their classes and chatting animatedly distracting him from…

"F$%"

Subaru slammed his hands on the still, the realization that his death had served no purpose in the end, slightly infuriating him. Subaru had no evidence of who the killer may be. Not a hint, or a silhouette that could help him narrow down his killer. That left him with the same old process as the last loop. The first suspects being Ruby and Yang.

Of course, Subaru almost brushed that assumption off the board completely. However, Subaru the ever suspicious wasn't going to let them slide off that easily. Ruby and Yang had been there when he died, and had been the one to feed him the poison. That should be enough for Subaru to send them to the gallows, but he didn't. He couldn't. In those final moments of his life, they had shown some form of… remorse for his death. Be it guilt or whatever, it didn't matter. They had shed tears for him. That meant that they still had an ounce of good in them, if they are the killers.

Blake and Weiss… he still didn't know much about either. Subaru had learned, surprisingly, that Blake was a Faunus. Looking at it now, he would have smacked himself upside the head for his stupidity if given the chance. It was just that… that bow fit so well with the rest of her outfit. If it didn't constantly twitch whenever he talked with Nora, he would probably have never found out. That wasn't the biggest revelation he had either. Apparently, Weiss Schnee was a God damn heiress.

In The World Above, there are many, many companies and trades prevalent throughout the capitals. So much so that if you wanted to find a product for a cheaper price, all you had to do was dig around deep enough to find it. The top brass however, the kingpins and lords of trade, were probably some of the richest people in The World Above, right under the King of Lugnica (as recently deceased as he was), Volakia Empire, and High Priest of Gusteko. All in all, those men and woman could be Kings or Queens themselves if they wanted.

And Weiss Schnee was a daughter of one of those Kings.

The only other Heiress Subaru could think of was Purpura, and he preferred to stray away from her. Her personality was complex, and her obsession with Regulus was borderline insane. Subaru would be lying if he said that Weiss didn't remind him a little of the two Cultists. Without the murderous tendency of course.

Yet again, Subaru couldn't help but hold some suspicion of them. They gave no hints, but that didn't matter. Rem never gave any hints, but she was still the murderer. Emilia acted the part of friend, but still turned to be a traitor. Subaru couldn't judge on a shell, but could on their motivations.

So, what were Team RWBY's motivations?

Ruby wanted to become a Hunter so she could fight, finding some joy in it that Subaru didn't understand. Yang was more of the same, but that was going on assumptions. Weiss… he didn't know, and Blake was… unreadable.

That didn't help at all.

"This is not a good scenario." Subaru said, scratching his chin as he let out a chuckle. Subaru pushed off the Window Still, turning to face the pile of clothes. He made his way to the discarded fabric, looking it over with interest. He picked up his necklace, his shadow covering the Maude gem. "Oh, what should I do, Satella?"

He knew he was talking to no one, but for just a second, not even long enough for his eyes to widen, he swore he saw his Crystal shine. Like a tear rolling down someone's cheek.

Wrapping the Crystal around his neck, he smiled as a strange warmth covered his body. He would never get used to that, but he didn't complain. He enjoyed this way too much, especially after something as traumatizing as the happenings of last night. Quickly, he donned his uniform, the Cult enchantments activating, strengthening his body. Dark Purple Pentagon's flashed across his body, signaling a successful activation.

Instead of moving to the door however, Subaru made his way to the bed. His shoulder still hurt, and Peach was the only one who could heal him. Even if it hurt like a bitch.

"An eye for am eye, I suppose." Subaru murmured to himself, rubbing his right shoulder. His worry's extended not only to Peach, but to the rest of school. And that was not because of the pain.

He needed to continue narrowing down the list of suspects. It may be impressively long, but it needed to be done. If only he had a pen and paper. But alas, he had neither, so he needed to make do with what he had; His mind.

He had already narrowed down that Ruby and Yang probably weren't the killer, and Weiss and Blake were still suspects, but what of Team JNPR and SSSN?

To start, Jaune. Now, Subaru wasn't sure about this, especially after last loop, but he wouldn't let something as simple as doubt cloud his mind. Jaune was a suspect through and through. Jaune, in simple terms, was a weakling. While Subaru wasn't one to judge, he could discern this little fact to be true. His swordsmanship was on par with an fledgling fighter, he was too quick to swing, when he should be stabbing, and his posture was all wrong. If Jaune didn't have his shield, Subaru was sure he could take him down with ease.

God, he was starting to sound a lot like Clind. That was an unwelcomed thought.

Next was Nora. Subaru was unsure about her, as she had been the most talkative to him. Occasionally, during lunch, she would leave the rest of her team to chat with him; mostly about abilities, which Subaru brushed off. Nora was harder to convince than most about his Magic capabilities, but he didn't see an issue in that. His plan had already failed the moment Ruby got upset.

After that came… Pyrrha. Subaru couldn't help the shudder that made his way through his body at the thought of her. He didn't quite understand his unease around her, but that didn't really matter. Her very presence screamed danger, and Subaru couldn't ignore that.

Last, and finally, Lie Ren. Subaru's opinion of him varied. While it was true that Subaru enjoyed his company the most, the problem laid in that singular fact. Subaru had a history with people he liked having backstabbed him. This went beyond Rem and Emilia, and the Cult. Those specific memories however weren't… as notable. Ren, like the rest of JNPR and RWBY, was a prime suspect for his murder.

Now, Team-

"Ah, hey there! Didn't expect you to be awake."

Subaru resisted the urge to jump. The click of a door shutting signaled the entrance of a new player, one that Subaru was more than familiar with. Peach walked to the desk next to Subaru, laying a stack of papers carefully on its wooden frame. She pulled out a chair, all the while saying, "You're… Mr. Natsuki if I remember correctly, right?"

"That is correct, Professor Peach." Subaru said, smiling at the lady. If he were to be honest, Subaru probably enjoyed her company as much as Ren, Ruby or Sun's. While indeed, the only time they ever really chatted was during class or whenever Subaru woke up after death, she had more or less stayed the same. Peach's own brand of craziness, while not insane, made him feel… at home, almost. That didn't mean he enjoyed insanity twenty-four-seven however. (1)

She raised an eyebrow at Subaru, before shifting through her papers at blinding speed. "Well, I've been assigned to patch you up after you wake, so if you'll hold on for just a moment, I'll be with you."

"Of course." Subaru responded, watching her. He was sort of grateful for that stack of paper, as it gave him time to continue his thought process. Team SSSN, as a whole, are extremely unlikely to kill just about anyone, especially their leader, Sun. Sun, along with Sage, were too stuck in their morals to even consider killing, and Subaru knew for a fact that Scarlet and Neptune were too pansy to even stab a knife into someone's back.

But again, their ability to shouldn't matter as long as they held some form of motivation. Subaru himself didn't want to kill his first ever target, but with the proper motivation, he was able to get through it. So, what were JNPR's and SSSN's motivations for ending his life?

Jaune had none, well, Subaru suspected be had none. Nora seemed to constantly want to break bones, so there was that. Pyrrha had an undescribed urge to fight, and Ren… Subaru was coming up with a blank. Sun could have probably found out about Garfiel, but that was unlikely, Scarlet had no motive besides the mayonnaise situation. Sage was the same as Ren, and Neptune… actually had a reason for killing Subaru.

During the last loop, Subaru had taken part of a prank against Neptune. While Subaru was still new to the whole 'prank' thing, he liked to think he preformed satisfactory. The goal was to get Neptune into the schools pool. To make a long story short, the plan succeeded and Neptune had been mopey the rest of the loop.

But what did that leave him?

Nothing. Almost all of the students of Beacon Academy were suspects, and that wasn't accounting for the teachers; Peach, Ozpin, Goodwitch, etc. Subaru suppressed a growl of irritation. If only he hadn't fell for that stupid trap, then he could have possibly been done with this stupid scenario.

Contrary to how Subaru acted, he was very ticked off by his death. It was just after the thousandth time he died, Subaru had come to realize that acting angry or distraught over something that hadn't happened was useless. It didn't help him find a solution to his problem, nor did it help those who seek to help him. In fact, it just made things worse complaining about it.

Didn't mean Subaru didn't want to talk about it though.

"Oka~y, done! Sorry for the wait!" Peach cheered, pushing herself out of the chair, spinning as the wheels took her across the room.

"No problem, it's the least I can do for watching over me." Subaru responded kindly. Peach looked at him for a second, before getting up and opening a drawer. Subaru watched her, mentally preparing himself for what was abou-

"Here you go!"

Subaru couldn't help but jump in surprise, the needle sliding into his right shoulder. A soundless scream escaped his mouth, incomprehensible pain coursing through his body, before a numbing sensation drowned out the pain.

"What… the… f-"

"Subaru! Language!" Peach reprimanded, Subaru nervously chuckling. For all of her eccentricities, Peach was still strict against certain things, such as cursing. If only she was like this with her constant teasing. "Anyways, that should heal you up in a day or so, until then I'd refrain from any extracurricular activities."

"Will do." Subaru responded absentmindedly. His mind drifted back to his suspicions, or more accurately, what was to come. While he did have his suspects, which he was no good at narrowing down, he had one more problem until then.

Yang Xiao Long.

* * *

"-You're a conman!"

Subaru resisted the urge to groan, her complaints ringing in his ears for a third time in his life. Subaru had perfected the skill of retracing footsteps, but that didn't mean it never got tedious or boring. In this case however, it was infuriating.

Subaru had followed the path from his first loop perfectly; giving five Holy Coins to Ozpin, acting surprised at the sliding glass doors and feeling motion-sickness on the Elevator. However, as he did this, his mind was only set on one goal- pleasing Yang and Ruby.

The problem is, how should he go about this?

As much as he wanted to, Subaru couldn't show off his abilities as he did in the first loop. Well, no, he could, but be didn't want to risk his killer gaining a upper hand in terms of information. He had learned this bit of wisdom when he dealt with a Knight of Lugnica. This, however, rid on the assumption that the Killer was in the room.

As a wise man once said; Better Safe than Sorry.

But, again, how was he to go about this? Of course there was… no, that was… but it was the only option.

Subaru let out a weary sigh, the answer being clear, but the method being risky. This method was a skill he learned from hard labor and difficult battles throughout the years. It always was a fifty fifty chance of this failing, and working.

Subaru needed to bluff.

"Are you sure you want to see my Magic?" Subaru asked, his eyes dangerously narrowed. Yang flinched, his gaze burning right through her. Subaru bit the inside of his cheek, resisting the urge to grin.

"What!? I just told you to prove it, of course I want you to show me!"

"And I'm asking, are you sure?" Subaru asked again, making his way past the older sister. Making his way to the table, full of food and plates, Subaru spotted an apple, a idea forming in his head. "Magic is extremely dangerous, especially the type I use. If I mess up-" Subaru picked up the Apple, using a Claw to make it appear to levitate mid-air. Everyone stared in awe, before it started to compress, squished inch by inch. "-Then you might die."

The Apple exploded, causing all but Ruby and Ozpin to flinch.

Subaru glanced at Yang, holding back his smile. By the look of uncertainty on her face, Subaru knew he had won. Now, all he had to do-

"Do it."

"Huh?"

"I said do it." Yang repeated, her gaze strong and unyielding. Subaru grimaced, cursing his luck. Of course Xiao Long would be willing to take a risk, she was headstrong. Yang was unbendable, willing to take almost any risk to determine the threat to her sister. It was clear that she wasn't going to back down anytime soon, and Subaru couldn't risk having her against him.

In a fit of frustration, Subaru frowned, yelling-

"Fine. You want Magic? I'll show you Magic!"

* * *

"So, what're we doing outside? I thought you were just gonna whip out a deck of cards, and show me a trick." Yang joked, insulting Subaru. He took that to heart, but ignored it. Her words were meaningless right now. Ruby sat back, dancing on the tips of her shoes, having been the only one besides Ozpin to follow them.

"Headmaster Ozpin? I assume it's fine if I tear up some of the terrain? I'm not sure how powerful my Magic will be." Subaru asked, Ozpin pushing up his glasses.

"That is fine, as long as you refrain from damaging anything other than the terrain, I will have no qualm with your Spells." Ozpin agreed, inwardly grimacing at the rant Glynda would give him for Subaru's deeds.

"Thank you." Subaru said, turning to Yang. "What I'm about to show you is still in the works. I haven't worked out all the kinks yet, and I'm afraid it won't be as powerful as I want it to be. I learned this offhand from a friend, so be warned, it may explode. I suggest taking a step back."

"Sure, whatever you say, Conman." Yang said, stepping back as did Ruby, Ozpin not bothering. Subaru resisted the urge to use the spell on her, killing her in an instant. With a groan, Subaru turned his back to them, patting himself on the back for not killing her.

Silence reined over the area, Subaru calming himself. Raising both his hands, he took the same position one Emilia did every time she casted an Ice Shard. This stance however was more rugged, arms too stiff and hands shaking a little too much. No one but Ozpin noted this.

Ozpin, knowing all the spells in Lugnica and beyond, couldn't help but criticize everything Subaru did. The stiff arms, the rugged breathing, and his stance. It was all wrong. Even the mana in the air coursing through him was rugged, the Spirit Arts being the only thing that made sure he didn't explode. He would need training and lots of it if Subaru wished to better himself.

Sadly, the only Magic User besides Subaru was Ozpin and…

Subaru channeled the Mana into his body, through his core, and once again out of his body. Warmth gripped him, the familiar rush of power and pleasure coursing through his veins. With one word, Magic flowing along with each syllable, Subaru chanted his spell.

"Minya."

With that, as if almost copying Ice Magic, Dark shards of crystals formed in the air. A total of two crystals floated above Subaru, purple flames coating them in a deadly heat. Without restraint, the flew through the air, landing across the court with a echoing boom, an explosion following in its wake.

"Holy! Mother! Of! God! That was awesome!" Ruby yelled, jumping in place as she continued to rant, in full detail, as to what happened. Subaru listened at first, but when it became apparent she wasn't talking to him, Subaru ignored her.

"Impressive, but could use some work." Ozpin agreed, tapping a finger on his cane. Subaru nodded, not catching the intent behind his words. Ozpin made no move to correct the misunderstanding, as his tutelage would come in due time.

"Meh, I've seen better."

"You What!?" Subaru yelled, turning towards Yang in a frustrated heap. Yang smirked at him, her outward appearance suggesting she enjoyed the look of frustration on his face. "I've wasted five minutes of my time demonstrating my abilities, and all you have to say is 'Meh'!?"

"Yeah? I don't see the problem, I'm just telling you as it is. Your… skills aren't impressive." Yang insulted getting into Subaru's face. Subaru pushed back, reverting to that of childlike anger.

"You're… indescribably frustrating!" Subaru yelled. "I show you my abilities, then you whine about it and ruin me the first time. Then I claim that it's all fake, and what do you do? Whine about it some more! Then when I show you my best Spell, all you have to say is 'Meh'!? What do you want from me!?"

"Hit m-"

Yang never got the chance to finish that sentence, a fist burrowing itself across her cheek. Silence enveloped the area, Yang stumbling back in shock. Ruby stepped back, covering her mouth. Ozpin stood still, expression unmoving as was his emotions.

Seconds passed in what felt like hours, no one speaking or moving a muscle. Everyone watched Subaru and Yang, unsure of the consequences of Subaru's actions. Ruby held her breath, Subaru kept his hand outstretched, unsure of what to do.

It was a knee-jerk reaction. An unexpected urge, violent both in its motive and it's forthcoming. Normally, Subaru would have a head start on his emotions, but after the insults Yang had thrown his way, he couldn't keep it in anymore. Subaru's fist clenched tighter, lowering it to his side. 'God damnit.' He cursed. Now, he would have to-

"Hehehehahaha!"

"Huh?" Subaru let out, raising his head to look at the voice of one Yang Xiao Long, who couldn't help but let out her voice of laughter. Everyone watched, Yang wiping away a nonexistent tear.

"Am… Am I missing something here?" Subaru asked, looking at Ruby, who just shrugged, confused as Subaru. They watched, Yang doing her best to calm down, and failing. Within a minute however, she was able to calm herself down.

"Sorry, sorry… I'm seriously never taking advice from him again." Yang muttered that last part, before glaring at Subaru. "Sorry, Subaru, that was a little… mean of me. I don't know why I thought getting you angry would help, but I did."

"Its fine, just don't do it again." Subaru responded, jumping on his chance to rekindle the friendship. Yang smiled, holding out her hand. Subaru stared at it, before grabbing it.

"I hope you know, we're going to have to fight now, right?" Yang asked, Subaru giving a nervous chuckle.

"C-can I reschedule?"

* * *

Beacon Academy

Wednesday

After School

"The what?" Subaru asked, confused. Ozpin motioned towards the card in his hand, a pleased look on his face. The Moon shined bright on them, few students passing by.

The past few days had been slow, even for Subaru's standards. Normally he would have found something to do by the third loop, to preoccupy the downtime between the drama, and while he had technically found his solution, the problem was that he didn't want to.

As much as Subaru loved to learn about Remnant and it's workings, reading was not his favorite subject. Sure, you'd likely be finding him reading a book, but that was because there was really nothing else to do. When he was with Regulus, he spent time with him, yes, but getting a word in with him was difficult. He could try to get to know RWBY and JNPR better, but socializing was never his best point. That was doubly so when trying to start a conversation.

So, it had come to reason that instead of reading, Subaru had taken up walking. For the most part, Subaru could honestly say he enjoyed it. The silence and tranquility it brought, even in the Cult, was a welcomed change. Even though he had explored the Campus three times by now, each time being with a different group, Subaru found it still pleasurable to do it alone.

It also gave him a chance to think, clear his mind if issues that may have been plaguing him before. Yang for the most part had ceased hostilities with Subaru, even doing her best to get to know him. Subaru didn't mind, as, admittedly, her personality was infectious. Even he couldn't stop the smiles that made his way to his face whenever she cracked a joke. Of course, it had only been two days, and nothing else had been brought up, so it may just be another calm before the storm.

Ruby was the same as ever, as was Sun, which he was grateful for. Subaru wanted to have the first timeline repeat itself, just with a few minor adjustments. Besides these two notable changes to the previous loops, nothing else had changed.

Even the fact that his roommate had yet to appear.

Normally, Subaru would have brushed this off as coincidence. Maybe his roommate was shy, or woke up early and got home late, but the fact that his roommate had yet to show up in any of the other loops, and classes, was a cause of concern. What made it worse was that no one save for Ozpin knew who it was.

That man knew something, and Subaru was tempted to dig around for that answer. The only thing stopping him was the inability to find a coherent reason to dig. Everyone had their right to privacy, and while Subaru wasn't afraid to break that invisible circle, he also didn't do so without reason. It was like peeking on girls; while he could do so without none the wiser (Return By Death), there was just no reason to.

One thing that Subaru did know however, was that if his roommate didn't show themselves soon, he was going to start to dig. Or at least ask Ozpin what the deal was.

So when the Gray haired Headmaster made his way around the corner, a knowing smile on his face, Subaru couldn't help but jump in surprise. The man of his thoughts appearing like he was summoned, a card in hand.

"Your Money." Ozpin repeated, holding out a purple card. "This card is something residents of Vale like to call a 'Debit Card'. With this, you'll be able to buy anything you want."

"Anything?" Subaru asked, gently taking the card out of Ozpins hands. It had a weird feel to it, the bumps and curves of his names along with numbers engraved in it. It reminded him of those family heirlooms at the Mansion he once served.

"Within reason of course, and within a certain budget." Ozpin responded with a nod. "This 'Debit Card' holds a certain amount of Lien, the currency of Remnant. I've taken to registering you with a trusted bank. They will hold onto your cash, and withdrawal every time you choose to use it."

"So, this is the equivalent to a bag of coin in Lugnica?" Subaru asked, looking it over. The black and white lines reminded him of ink on the paper, yet the feel of it… it was odd. Unfamiliar. Like the first time he held silk; odd, but almost enjoyable.

"Exactly." Ozpin nodded, tapping a finger on his cane. "I'm sure you know how Scrolls are able to receive messages instantly?" Subaru nodded, Nora having explained something along the lines of that last loop. "As with Scrolls, these cards work more or less the same. The details don't matter, but as long as you have money in the bank, you don't need to worry about carrying around any currency."

"That's… awfully convenient." Subaru said, pocketing the card. 'This will definitely come in handy later… at least, I hope it will.'

"It appears that way." Ozpin agreed. His smile almost shouting out how well he knew Subaru's fascination with this technology. A smile that Subaru missed. Crossing his arms, Subaru gave him a quizzical stare.

"So, what's my budget?" Subaru asked, his finger tapping his arm. He had spent Five Holy Coins for a flimsy card, it better well have been worth the cash.

"50,000 Lien." Ozpin answered. At Subaru's confused look, Ozpin gave a slight chuckle. "It's equal to five Holy Coins. If you don't believe me, then ask Ruby or any of the students at Beacon, I'm sure their reactions will be enough to satisfy your curiosity."

"No, I'll take your word for it. Besides, it wouldn't be out of curiosity, but more of an… assurance."

"That indeed, Subaru. That indeed." Ozpin agreed, pushing up his glasses. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have important business to attend to. If you have more need of Lien, I will gladly exchange for more Holy Coins."

"Will do, Headmaster." Subaru nodded, watching as the older man walked away. Strange, in none of his other loops had Subaru receive his compensation so quickly. Maybe something had happened on his end?

A sudden urge to ask Ozpin about his roommate made its way to his heart. A want, a desire, to know more about this all so evasive student causing him no shortage of curiosity.

But Subaru squashed that urge. Something, deep down, like his subconscious, told him he wouldn't like the answer given to him. With a shallow breath, Subaru relaxed his hands in his pockets, continuing in with his walk.

* * *

Beacon Academy/Forge

Thursday

After School

Subaru was old.

Not physically, of course, having a body the age of an seventeen year old, but mentally? Subaru was definitely beyond the age of anyone, save the staff, in this school. If he had to garner a guess, he'd probably be twenty to twenty-five if his body aged along with his mind. Constant loops were to thank for that little slip in mentality.

However, Subaru didn't think of it as a curse. With the aged mentality came new possibilities. One, obviously, he had much more experience to pull from, helping with scenarios requiring a more softer touch. This also doubled down on his self control. Subaru doubted that without this experience, he'd probably have already blown his cover. Keeping his cool was probably the best thing to come out of Return By Death.

The second positive came in the form of heightened senses. Now, this was a little tricky to explain. While it was true that Subaru wasn't on par with most other students, an example being Sun, Subaru was able to keep up with them… sort of. Not in the sense of physically, as that needed work, but mentally. This was how he was able to understand what was happening when Garfiel jumped from tree to tree at blinding speeds and how Sun basically handed Garfiel his own ass.

If Subaru wanted to keep up with that though, he needed to work his body to the bone.

The third positive was the chances he was given in other loops. While it was true that most of his loops were due to mistakes, and he'd prefer not to die, that didn't mean that Subaru didn't experiment at all. More than once Subaru had the chance to learn more about a person, target or the world around him due to his experimentation. Sure, he sometimes died in an extreme fashion, but it was always worth it in some way. That's why his most recent death irritated him so much, as it served no purpose.

Yet, with all the knowledge he had gained throughout the years, not once did he think smithing would ever come of use.

"Ah, is lining wire into a sword normal?"

"Pfft, no! But if I don't, then all you'll have is a normal sword! You're not Jaune, you need something… different!" Ruby called back, pushing wire through the handle of the sword to the tip. Subaru watched from afar, away from the sparks and heat of the forge.

"Thank you, again, Ruby. I'm sure I'd be in trouble if you weren't here." Subaru said, smiling through the mask. Dark goggles protected his eyes from the sparks of the other students creations. Ruby wordlessly nodded, her tongue hanging out as she wrapped the wire around the hilt.

It had been a few days since Yang had challenged him to a duel, thankfully the energetic blonde had agreed to wait until Subaru had received his Weapon. Which Subaru hadn't asked for, but was nonetheless grateful to have.

It was surprising. Subaru knew that Ruby was a Weapon freak, and openly so, but he hadn't expected her to know how to make a Weapon from scratch. When she had caught wind of how he didn't have a Weapon, she had hounded him for an hour about it. One thing led to another, and they had ended up in the schools Forge.

Which was amazing in itself.

The Beacon Forge was a separate section of Beacon off to the side of the campus. Well, no, not on campus, but in the mountains. Due to complications and multiple explosions from faulty mechanisms in the old Forge, Ozpin had ordered that the New, and improved, Forge be constructed farther away from the Main Campus. This allowed for more room for the students to use, creating Mechanisms that would put The World Above's second best Smith to shame.

The only real problem was the fact that they had hollowed out a Mountain to use as a Forge.

Subaru didn't care that much for plant life, having himself helped hollow out a hill to use as a base of operations, but it was a problem when you used that same hollow as a Forge. Explosions were bound to happen, and as unlikely as it was for someone to live through that, those that did would be trapped in that hill. It put Subaru slightly on edge.

Then there was the problem with Fumes, Gas and Smoke. Luckily the Architects got that figured out, as instead of a regular ceiling, a ceiling made if wire lined above. This was for the gas to travel out of the mountain, insuring that the explosions wouldn't be as frequent.

"Done!" Ruby yelled, triumphantly holding up a double edged sword in the air. Subaru didn't bother moving towards her, fearful of the sparks that came from the other students behind her. Ruby grinned, making her way to him. "My second ever creation, the, uh… Heh, what should I name it?"

"Does it need a name?" Subaru asked, reaching out to grab the Sword. As expected, it felt heavy, but not in a overwhelming kind of way. It felt balanced, in a way that best suited him. Lines adored the whole sword, causing Subaru to raise an eyebrow at the design choice.

"Of course it needs a name!" Ruby yelled, throwing her hands in the air. "Without a name, a Weapon is just… well, a Weapon! It has no personality! No beauty! It needs to have a name! Like my Crescent Rose, or Ren's Storm Flower!"

"Okay, Okay… then how about… Renegade!"

"Sounds dumb." Ruby crossed her arms. Subaru could feel a vein burst on his forehead as those words left her mouth. Ruby definitely was Yang's sister in their forthcoming opinions. She snapped her fingers, a grin making its way to her face. "How about… Whiplash!"

"Whiplash? But it's not a whip."

"Oh? What do you think I was doing with those wires?" Ruby asked, Subaru raising an eyebrow in confusion. Groaning and rolling her eyes, Ruby ripped the Sword out of his hands. "Watch."

If Subaru wasn't as experienced with blinding movements, he probably would have missed what happened next. Raising her sword in the air, she swung downward. Instead of just hitting the ground however, the Sword extended, those lines detaching itself from the rest of the Sword. Like a whip, it hit the ground, but unlike a whip, it created sparks against the ground, and came back to form a sword.

"You see?" Ruby asked, holding out the Weapon to Subaru, who held a defensive posture. "Whiplash isn't just a sword; it's a Whip Sword! Probably not the only one of its kind, but still pretty rare!"

Taking the Sword, Subaru looked it over again, having a new appreciation of the craft. A weapon, not only able to form one, but two shapes. This, was honestly, more than he could ever ask for. Definitely deserving of the name Whiplash. Turning to Ruby, he gave an appreciative smile.

"Thank You Ruby, this is amazing!"

* * *

Beacon Academy

Beacon Dorms

Friday

"Thank you again, Yang. I don't think I'd be ready to fight you if I only had a few hours to train with the sword."

"No problem! Think you'll be ready by tomorrow?" Yang asked, staying behind as the rest of her team walked ahead. Subaru hid his smirk, a giddy feeling making its way to his stomach.

"Yeah, I think I got sufficient practice today. Be ready to lose, alright?" Subaru challenged, Yang smirking in response.

"Whatever you say, Subaru." Yang rolled her eyes, turning and heading towards her Team. "We both know who's gonna win tomorrow!"

Subaru allowed his face to settle into a smile, watching as Team RWBY turned the corner, disappearing from sight. Turning, he opened the door to his Dorm, closing it without a sound. The room was empty, Subaru sighing in relief at this. He made his way to his bed, sitting down on the soft mattress.

This loop, so far, had been fantastic. Save for the first day, there had been no other issues regarding any of Beacons students. Even Yang, who Subaru thought would be doing her best to kill him, seemed to be almost at ease with him. She wasn't like Nora in the last loop, who did her best to get to know him. Yang instead kept her distance for the most part, which he was grateful for. It was like his time at Roswaal Mansion. Ram would always treat him like trash, but she was still a… friend(?). Yang was the same way, if not a little more crude.

Subaru could honestly say he enjoyed Nora and Yang's company. That made five people now. The first being Ruby Rose. While his opinions of her weren't as esteemed as others, she was a nice breath of fresh air, if a little immature. The only negative about her was that Subaru saw a little too much of Emilia in the young Huntress. That more or less ruined any form of meaningful friendship between the two.

The second was Sun Wukong. Subaru wasn't sure what it was, but he felt… compelled to be friends with him. It wasn't like he enjoyed his company more than others, but a sort of pull dragged him towards the Faunus. Not a emotional pull, but a quite literal one. Sun had showed up at the fight with Garfiel, then outside the Guard Station, and finally he was put in the same class as the Blonde Faunus. It was almost like some outside force was pulling them together.

Thirdly, was Nora Valkyrie. Normally the loud and eccentric type would have annoyed him, but, and this was hard to admit, Nora had grown on him. Her almost extravagant nature was (This becoming a running theme at Beacon) a breath of fresh air. Admittedly, he had laughed a number of times around the orange haired compatriot.

The fourth, and not so surprisingly, was Yang Xiao Long. Admittedly, her personality struck out the most between Team RWBY and JNPR. Not for her eccentricity or flamboyant characteristics, but for her mature nature. Sure, in the beginning Yang had been childish when confronting him, but the fact that she had willed herself to confront Subaru, and apologize to him spoke volumes. Then again in the second loop, she had forced Ruby to reconcile with him. She may act childish, but at heart she was probably the most mature one besides Ren and himself.

Speaking of-

Subaru's eyes widened, standing up in a flash, holding his sword in a defensive posture. Sweat trickled down his forehead as fear and surprise gripped his heart. How had he not noticed it? The man in the dark, sitting there with a book in his hand, and a contemplative look settled on his face. How had Subaru not noticed? No, better yet-

How did Lie Ren get in his room?

"So, you noticed?" Ren asked, Subaru tensing with each word. Ren flipped a page in his book, not bothering to look up from whatever he was reading. Subaru hefted his sword, being sure not to swing in his surprise.

"What are you doing here, Ren?" Subaru asked, Ren closing his eyes as he snapped his book closed. Instead of pocketing it or brushing it to the side however, Ren tossed it at Subaru, who caught it with his Claw. It was then Subaru realized what he had been reading.

The Gospel of the Cult. Subaru's Gospel.

"Where did you get this?" Subaru asked, having the Claw flip through the Gospel, checking for any discrepancies. Fortunately, nothing had been changed. Unfortunately, he still had only Ruby's Riddle to go off of, but that wasn't his main concern right now. Pocketing it, he kept his eyes on Ren.

"I took it from you when you weren't looking. I was hoping to decipher it before returning it, but I wasn't able to." Ren said, not bothering to move. "I do have a question however, if you don't mind answering."

"Will you leave this room after I do?"

"I can't guarantee anything right now, Subaru. It all depends on your answer." Ren said, Subaru having a vague suspicion of what was to happen next. "Where did you get the Gospel?"

"On a nightstand in my room at an Inn." Subaru spoke truthfully. None of the Gospels were ever handed out to members, only given by a mysterious force that no one had ever been in contact with. Some speculated that it was the Witch herself that made the Gospel, as the entries appeared as time went on, but Subaru didn't believe that. The Witch was sealed away somewhere, meaning she had no dominion over what wasn't connected to her. But that begs the question- how did she continue to write in the Gospel?

Ren's face visibly stiffened, anger overtaking his looks before settling in a calm expression. Subaru's answer hadn't pleased him. "Does this mean you aren't a Cultist?"

"That's correct." Subaru said, lying through his teeth. Apparently Ren didn't believe him either, if the way he took out his daggers were any indication.

"I'm sorry Subaru, but I don't believe you. You wear the uniform of the Witch, and hold her book almost possessively? I… I can't believe that." Ren said, pointing is weapon at Subaru. "I'm sorry."

It was at that moment, when those words escaped his mouth, that Subaru understood who exactly Lie Ren was. That Ren, someone he had respected, and enjoyed the company of, was not who he claimed to be. With a loud bang, it was made abundantly clear his position in this world of lies and cheats.

Lie Ren was Natsuki Subaru's killer. (2)

* * *

 **Side Story: Time Distortion**

Peach wasn't always the nice doctor of Beacon Academy that she was today.

Once upon a time, she was just your average goody-two-shoes little girl. As the daughter of a wealthy family, she got whatever she wished, no matter how expensive or silly. This brought about a spoiled side of her; whining, sadistic, and always playing favorites. She was the very definition of a bully.

That was until she unlocked her Semblance: Time Distortion.

Bypassing the traditional ways of unlocking a Semblance was rare, extremely so. There laid in a talent that was so rarely ever scene, however it wasn't all rainbows and sunshine. Peach was consumed by her Semblance, her very being reworked, tortured and changed to something indescribable. Unknown to most, this power was more of a curse than a gift.

Peach repeatedly left and re-entered reality, seeing things no man or woman had ever seen. Learning, experiencing and reliving lives of ages long past. As the days past, her parents panicking on what to do, she spent years, decades aging her mind unwillingly. For her parents, it was a stressful situation. For their daughter, it was hell.

So much so that little girl was driven insane.

Then, two days after Peach gained her powers, a man appeared. Clad in black and gray, he dressed as though he was attending a funeral. Unannounced, uninvited, he made his way to where the girl appeared and reappeared.

With a tap on her forehead, it was over.

Without a word, he left. The parents did not know what to do, but were nonetheless grateful. They had a manhunt for the man, the family wanting to share their wealth, but he was never found. One day, the family just gave up.

But one thing was for certain; while Peach didn't remember much of what happened those two days, her personality was changed. An urge to help, an almost need to help others. Peach would go on to become a well known nurse throughout Remnant, to a Professor of Beacon, specializing in Dust.

One thing was known however, whoever was that man, dressed in funeral attire, knew of Peach's plight. It was almost as if he cursed her with time, and knowledge. Truly, a threatening figure in The World of Remnant and beyond.

* * *

1) **No, Subaru saying Peaches name before she introduced herself wasn't a mistake. You'll see later why this is important.**

2) **Subaru is naturally slow at picking up things, and while it may be clear as a readers point of view, for Subaru himself it was slow. He wasn't sure, as Ruby and Yang had showed up the last Friday unannounced, and just going on the attack wouldn't help anyone in this situation.**

* * *

Aura User: Lie Ren

Semblance: Negative Assurance

Agility: B

Durability: D

Endurance: D

Strength: C

Speed: A

Intelligence: B

Lie Ren is a gifted student of Beacon Academy. Unlike the rest of the student body, he has had actual combat experience in both Remnant and The World Above. This also extends towards his venomous hate of the Cult.

His Semblance is also extraordinary. At first thought to be only a mask to avoid Grimm, it turned out to be a mask for all beings. Lie Ren is able to become less detectable by those outside of his touch. This makes for great covert ops, while also being widely used in combat scenarios.

He could be a great asset in future exploits, but don't fear to kill him if needed.

* * *

Story Rant

 **Oh, where to begin with this one!?**

 **I hate this chapter! While the motivation given by the reviews and readers helped me push forward, this chapter was just pure, and excuse my language, shit! I hate it!**

 **The main problem is that I already fixed the same shit three freaking times already, and I have run out of scenarios to use. I could have pushed Weiss and Blake on Subaru, but I don't want to do that. Those two have their own Arc to get some screen time- Arc 4, The Plague Doctor.**

 **I'm just glad I finally got Subaru his Weapon. Now, the only issue is if Subaru uses it. He's mostly a hand to hand combatant, and his main weapon in canon is a Whip. I don't See Subaru being proficient in anything besides a Whip and a Blunt Object. Luckily, by the time Emilia comes around, he'll have a new Weapon.**

 **Honestly, I just wanna be done with this chapter, so I won't go on for long.**

 **Thanks for powering through for me.**

* * *

Personal Rant

 **So, my birthday passed. I don't feel old yet.**

 **I can't thank you enough for the reviews guys!**

 **But I'm sorry.**

 **I'm not ending this, probably won't until either the Grimm Whisperer Arc or Vytal Arc (Name might change to 'At Worlds End'), but I do have to apologize for pushing you in a corner. I promised myself I'd never do that pity thing, and, well, I did. I'm sorry. It wasn't like I didn't need it either, but I just… I needed to know people were reading. As a writer, it's fun to write, and as much as I do it for myself, I like to know that people are here with me.**

 **Again, Thank you for your continued support!**

 **Anyways, I wanna say something. Writing straight up RWBY and Re:Zero fanfic is taxing. I love these series (actually, I got my very first Light Novel recently, Re:Zero Ex 1! It's really good! Crusch and Felix were already gonna be in the Fic, but now they are DEFINITELY gonna be here!), but I also wanna write some side projects too, if that's okay?**

 **I recently got back into Marvel and Young Justice, and I've been connecting those two worlds in other fics, which I find fun. I hope it's alright if I jump back and forth?**

 **Anyways, Thank you for your continued support!**

 **Also, to the guy who followed and favorited both this work and me on the 20th! Thank you!**

* * *

Reviews

 **Echonic** \- Nope, sorry. I should create a What If though, like, what if Ruby was mentally unstable.

 **Hydronx101** \- Thank you! I just wish this chapter was better, honestly. This chapter… ugh.

 **SugoiMasta'69** \- Nope! Won't abandon!

 **Evinco** \- I could see her helping, if Subaru allowed it. Subaru doesn't really trust anyone to help him, especially Team Ruby and JNPR. The main reason for that is the distrust he has for the world around him. A lot of things happened to Subaru I'm the past that made it difficult for him to really place faith in anybody that can't hold their own against, per say, Wrath or Betelgeuse.

It was already difficult enough for him to trust Emilia and Rem, now it's almost nonexistent.

 **Victormt2live** \- Welcome Back! Happy to see you back! Though I do apologize for the horrible delay and, well, writing. I'm not sure what happened this chapter.

At the time of writing the Rem scene, I was thinking about how to hint at something like what will happen in Chapter 9. You see, Cinder knows who Subaru is, and his past. I won't go into detail, as spoilers, but you'll see next chapter. Also, the reason he freaked out was due to The unexpectedness of it. If he had seen her, say, a minute before bumping into her, he'd be fine. The Cinder scene too. That was a hint, and that was just Cinder playing with his mind, as she believed she had him in the palm of her hand since Subaru was so out of touch with the gang that loop.

Ok, when I was considering Subaru's speed, I was thinking about it logically. I based his sprint on the 400 meter dash, the highest record of that being 43 seconds. The average person is around 2 minutes. So, Subaru is on par with an Olympic athlete. He's definitely slower than Weiss and Ruby, but could definitely run faster if he put more muscle into it.

The way the Claw Sprint works is, as you already know, uses the strength of the Unseen Hand to push him forward. Seeing as how Subaru had to turn while doing this, if he didn't need to he'd definitely pick up speed. It's like using a trampoline- the more you jump, the higher you get. Same with speed, the harder he pushes, the more momentum he gets. That comes with the risk of losing mobility however.

The thing with Pyrrha is just Subaru judging her wrong. You see, Subaru so far has almost no flaws, and he needs them. So, one of his flaws is to judge others wrongly. He sees Ren as a good guy, while Pyrrha a bad guy. When in reality, Ren is bad, and Pyrrha good. Of course, her insistence on fighting is developed more in the Medusa Arc (if I write that).

I'm happy you enjoyed the poison scene! I personally don't like it, but if someone else enjoyed it, I'm happy!

Again, sorry for this chapter!

P.S. if you ever want to chat or have a question you want answered immediately, it's A-OK to PM me. Just make sure NOT to use the App, as PM doesn't work on the Fanfiction App.

 **Guest5890438379** \- Oh god no! Retelling are horrible ways to just get followers and favorites. Look at the Naruto community for that.

The "…" makes me nervous. If you're holding back a critique, don't. I don't get butthurt over actual critiques to my works, I use those to better myself. And I will continue this, Thank you!


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